Pro-Russian Propaganda on ‘Western Guilt’ for Ukraine War Gains Traction in Poland

In a concerning development, Polish social media platforms are seeing a significant increase in pro-Russian propaganda narratives that attempt to shift blame for the war in Ukraine away from the Kremlin and onto Western powers, according to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD).

The CCD, which operates under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, reports that these misleading messages are proliferating across Poland’s information landscape, particularly on Facebook. The narratives consistently portray the United States and European Union as having “provoked” Russia into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, attempting to absolve Moscow of responsibility for the conflict.

Many of these posts include emotional appeals to “prevent Poland from being dragged into the war,” a framing designed to create fear and hesitation among Polish citizens regarding their country’s support for Ukraine. Security experts note this represents a classic disinformation tactic – combining false premises with appeals to legitimate concerns about escalation.

The propaganda campaign recycles long-debunked Russian talking points that have circulated since 2014, including claims that the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine was orchestrated by the United States, that Crimea’s annexation was legitimate, and that NATO expansion poses an existential threat to Russia. These narratives also falsely suggest Ukraine has rejected peace negotiations due to Western pressure.

Poland holds particular strategic importance in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. As a frontline NATO state sharing borders with both Ukraine and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, Poland has emerged as one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters. The country has accepted millions of Ukrainian refugees, serves as a critical logistics hub for Western military aid, and has significantly increased its own defense spending in response to Russian aggression.

Security analysts suggest Russia views undermining Polish support for Ukraine as a high-priority objective. Poland’s historical experience with Russian imperialism has made its population generally resistant to Kremlin influence operations, making the recent surge in pro-Russian content particularly noteworthy.

The CCD emphasized that these information attacks are not isolated incidents but part of a broader, coordinated Russian influence operation targeting European public opinion. The primary objective appears to be fracturing the unity of EU and NATO members while eroding public support for defense initiatives under the emotionally resonant message of avoiding entanglement in a wider conflict.

“This is a sophisticated attempt to exploit legitimate concerns about escalation while advancing narratives that serve Moscow’s interests,” said an independent disinformation researcher who requested anonymity. “The ultimate goal is to weaken Europe’s collective defense capabilities at a time when the Russian threat is actually increasing.”

The timing of this disinformation surge coincides with statements from CCD head Andrii Kovalenko on September 30 warning that Russia might attempt to test Poland’s border defenses using sabotage and reconnaissance groups. This combination of information warfare and potential physical provocation aligns with Russia’s “hybrid warfare” doctrine that integrates multiple domains of conflict.

Social media companies have faced ongoing challenges in addressing state-backed influence operations. While platforms like Facebook have invested in detection systems and partnered with fact-checking organizations, the volume and evolving nature of such campaigns make comprehensive content moderation difficult.

Security experts recommend that Polish citizens approach social media content about the war with heightened critical awareness, verifying claims through multiple reputable sources and recognizing common propaganda techniques that appeal to fear or present simplified explanations for complex geopolitical events.