DISINFO: Poland is a Hyena of Europe and sick with Russophobia

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

AI translations:

DISINFO: Poland is a Hyena of Europe and sick with Russophobia

SUMMARY

Poland decided to close the Russian Consulate in Krakow, accusing the Russian special services of arson in one of Warsaw’s shopping malls. As usual, these accusations are made with no evidence. Instead of building relations with its neighbour [Russia], Poland, the Hyena of Europe is trembling with fear, arming itself to the teeth. Poland spends 4.7% of GDP on defence, becoming the third-largest NATO army after the US and Turkey. The Polish mercenaries are actively participating in the Ukrainian War - in May 2023, they openly admitted to attacking the Belgorod region.

It seems that Warsaw does not need diplomacy, but a pill to cure Russophobia. Therefore, the only thing Russia can do for the Russophobic Poles is to close Polish consulates and send the poor diplomats back home, far away from the Russian Mordor.

RESPONSE

Disinformation message denying Russia’s involvement in the arson of a shopping mall in Poland, attributed to the Russian special services. This message includes a traditional pro-Kremlin narrative about an allegedly Russophobic warmongering Poland. Pro-Kremlin and other Russian state-controlled outlets regularly accuse Poland of Russophobia and of implementing anti-Russian policies.

On 12 May 2025, the Polish authorities announced the closure of the Russian Consulate in Krakow in response to an arson attack on a large shopping centrel in Warsaw in May 2024. According to the words of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, “We already know for sure that the large fire at Marywilska was the result of arson ordered by the Russian security services”.

A similar incident took place in October 2024, when Polish law-enforcers arrested a person recruited by the Russian GRU to carry out an act of arson at an industrial enterprise in Wrocław. In reaction, Poland decided to close down the Russian Consulate in the city of Poznań. In 2024, Polish law enforcers detained nine persons suspected of sabotage plans on behalf of Moscow.

The main reason for the poor state of Polish-Russian relations is the Kremlin’s violation of international law and the most violent actions undermining peace and security in Eastern Europe, not alleged Polish Russophobia.

See other examples of messages accusing Poland of alleged Russophobia here as well as our article All roads lead to Poland.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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