DISINFO: Poland uses the situation on Belarusian border to underline "threat from the East"
SUMMARY
Since the dawn of history, the governments facing a deficit of legitimacy or willingness to divert attention from important problems pointed at external enemies threatening security and freedom. For many years, the Polish authorities have consequently used this model.
The Polish governments used the alleged threat of "Russian aggression" in order to cover their inefficiencies and intellectual weakness. The message about the threat from the East is currently promoted by the events on the Polish-Belarusian border and the rhetoric about the Belarusian “hybrid war” allegedly waged against Poland.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation narrative about the ongoing migration crisis on the Eastern border of the European Union directly caused by the Belarusian authorities.
The Kremlin-controlled outlets regularly accuse the Polish authorities of Russophobia and inspiration of the anti-Russian sentiments in order to reach particular domestic goals.
On 23 August 2021, the Polish authorities announced the construction of the fence on the border with Belarus to stop the ongoing influx of irregular migrants orchestrated by the Belarusian regime. According to the position of the Polish authorities, the ongoing situation on the Belarusian border is a hybrid attack on Poland in order to destabilise the country and the entire EU.
There is plenty of evidence that the Belarusian authorities have instigated the ongoing migration crisis in Lithuania, Poland and Latvia. Lukashenka's regime is using migrants from the Middle East as "political and hybrid" tools against Lithuania and the entire EU. Commissioner Ylva Johansson said, inter alia: "The authoritarian regime in Belarus is exploiting human beings for political reasons: this is completely unacceptable."
In 2021, Lithuania, Poland and Latvia faced an influx of irregular migrants from Belarus. Earlier, Belarus ended cooperation with the EU to stem illegal migration. This was Lukashenka's answer to the European Union sanctions on the political regime of Belarus (read more about sanctions here).
Several investigative journalists (here) and (here) have proven that some migrants arrive in Belarus by commercial flights from Baghdad to Minsk. Information gathered also suggests that migrants are regularly transported by bus to the Belarusian-Lithuanian border. More information about Lukashenka's role in the organisation of the current migration crisis can be found here and here.
See other disinformation cases concerning the ongoing migration crisis on the Belarusian border: Polish Defense Minister tries to exert psychological and propaganda influence on the Poles, Polish fence on the border with Belarus is meant to frighten Poles with a perspective of war and Poland declared a state of emergency after the appearance of 32 refugees on its border.