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Polish authorities have firmly denied a series of viral social media claims alleging that a Ukrainian refugee girl had fatally stabbed an 11-year-old Polish schoolmate in the town of Ełk. The false information, which spread rapidly across platforms like Facebook and Twitter, was officially labeled as disinformation by Poland’s government spokesperson, Piotr Müller.
“Fake news! There was no murder of a Polish child by a Ukrainian in Ełk,” Müller wrote in an official statement released on social media channels on Tuesday. “Russian propaganda is working intensively to create Polish-Ukrainian antagonism. Let’s verify information and not spread harmful content.”
The fabricated story claimed that a Ukrainian refugee had stabbed a Polish child multiple times at a school in Ełk, a town of approximately 60,000 residents in northeastern Poland. Local police were quick to confirm that no such incident had occurred, with the Ełk police department issuing an unambiguous statement: “We have not received any reports of such an event.”
This incident represents the latest in a growing pattern of anti-Ukrainian disinformation targeting Poland, which has accepted more Ukrainian refugees than any other country since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. According to Polish border authorities, more than 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees remain in Poland today.
Security experts note that this disinformation campaign appears strategically timed, coinciding with rising tensions between Ukraine and Poland over agricultural imports. Recent weeks have seen Polish farmers blocking border crossings to protest what they describe as unfair competition from Ukrainian grain imports. The protests have created the first significant diplomatic rift between the two countries since the war began.
Anna Mierzyńska, a Polish disinformation researcher, told reporters that such fabricated stories follow a predictable pattern. “These narratives typically exploit existing social tensions and often feature emotionally charged scenarios involving children. The goal is to drive a wedge between Poles and Ukrainian refugees,” Mierzyńska explained.
Polish security services have documented a substantial increase in Russian-linked disinformation targeting Polish-Ukrainian relations over the past three months. In September alone, Poland’s cybersecurity agency identified over 300 false narratives aimed at portraying Ukrainian refugees in a negative light.
The false story about Ełk spread particularly quickly on Facebook and Telegram, where it was shared thousands of times before platform moderators began removing posts. Several accounts identified as amplifying the false claims had previously been flagged for spreading pro-Russian narratives, according to digital forensics experts at Warsaw University.
Marcin Przydacz, head of the Polish National Security Bureau, emphasized the broader security implications of such disinformation campaigns. “These are not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated hybrid warfare strategy. Creating social discord is a key objective of hostile information operations,” Przydacz said at a press briefing Wednesday.
Local officials in Ełk have expressed concern about the community impact of such falsehoods. Mayor Tomasz Andrukiewicz has called for increased media literacy programs in schools. “When disinformation targets local communities by name, it creates unnecessary fear and suspicion. We’ve worked hard to welcome Ukrainian families, and we won’t let false stories undermine that effort,” Andrukiewicz stated.
Poland’s Interior Ministry announced it has launched an investigation to identify the original sources of the false information. Under Polish law, deliberately spreading harmful disinformation that threatens public safety can result in criminal charges.
The incident highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Eastern European nations to targeted disinformation campaigns. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has documented a 47% increase in false narratives designed to undermine support for Ukraine across member states.
International disinformation experts suggest the public should approach emotionally charged news stories with particular caution, especially those involving refugees or ethnic tensions, and verify information through multiple reliable sources before sharing content online.
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16 Comments
The speed at which this false narrative spread is alarming. Kudos to the Polish authorities for their swift response in refuting the claims and calling out the underlying disinformation campaign. Maintaining the truth is essential, especially during times of heightened tensions and vulnerability.
It’s disheartening to see how quickly misinformation can spread, especially around topics as sensitive as refugee crises. Fact-based reporting and transparent communication from authorities are essential to maintain social cohesion during challenging times.
It’s heartening to see the Polish government take a strong stance against these false claims. Combating disinformation requires a multi-pronged approach of clear communication, fact-checking, and calling out the underlying propaganda efforts. We must all remain vigilant to protect the truth.
This is a concerning example of how disinformation can be weaponized to target vulnerable populations. I’m glad the Polish government acted quickly to debunk these false claims and call out the underlying propaganda efforts. Vigilance is key to combating such tactics.
Agreed. It’s crucial that we all remain vigilant and critical consumers of information, especially when it comes to sensitive geopolitical issues. Fact-checking and media literacy are our best defenses against the spread of harmful misinformation.
The speed at which this misinformation spread is truly concerning. Kudos to the Polish authorities for their proactive stance in debunking the false claims and highlighting the wider disinformation campaign. Fact-based reporting and transparent communication from officials are essential to combat the flood of harmful propaganda.
The rapid spread of this disinformation is a concerning trend. It’s crucial that we all remain vigilant consumers of information, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like refugee crises. Kudos to the Polish government for their swift action in refuting these false claims and calling out the underlying propaganda efforts.
Disturbing to see this kind of disinformation spreading. It’s important we verify information before jumping to conclusions, especially when it could stir up tensions between communities. Glad the Polish authorities were quick to debunk these false claims.
It’s disheartening to see how quickly false narratives can spread, especially around sensitive topics like refugee crises. I’m glad the Polish government took a strong stance in refuting these claims and calling out the underlying disinformation efforts. Fact-checking and media literacy are crucial tools in the fight against harmful propaganda.
The rapid spread of this disinformation is deeply concerning. It’s commendable that the Polish government acted quickly to refute the false claims and call out the underlying propaganda efforts. Fact-based reporting and transparent communication from officials are crucial to combat the flood of harmful narratives.
This is a troubling example of how misinformation can be weaponized to target vulnerable populations and sow division. I’m glad the Polish authorities were proactive in debunking these false claims and highlighting the wider disinformation campaign. Fact-based reporting and transparent communication are crucial in these situations.
Disturbing to see how quickly misinformation can spread, especially around issues involving vulnerable populations. I’m glad the Polish authorities were quick to debunk these false claims and highlight the wider disinformation campaign. Fact-checking and media literacy are essential tools in the fight against harmful propaganda.
This is a troubling example of how misinformation can be used to target vulnerable populations and stir up tensions. I applaud the Polish authorities for their swift response in debunking the false claims and highlighting the wider disinformation campaign. Maintaining the truth and promoting critical thinking are essential in these challenging times.
This is a clear example of how disinformation can be weaponized to target refugees and sow division. I applaud the Polish government’s swift response in refuting these false claims and calling out the underlying propaganda efforts. Maintaining the truth and promoting media literacy are crucial during these challenging times.
Russia’s propaganda machine is clearly working overtime to sow division. We need to be vigilant and fact-check everything, especially when it comes to sensitive issues involving refugees and minorities. Spreading unverified claims can have real, harmful consequences.
Absolutely. Fact-checking and media literacy are crucial to combat the flood of disinformation out there. Kudos to the Polish government for swiftly refuting these false claims.