Here's how Minsk and Moscow are waging an information war in Poland. Report of the Institute of Political Thought
The “Warsaw Mermaid” channel on a telegram is a tool in the information war that Moscow and Minsk lead against Poland – according to the report of the Institute of Political Thought. – In propaganda narrative, anti-Ukrainian threads were highly emphasized- Katarzyna Kwiatkowska-Moskalewicz, author of the report, told PAP.
In the report “Warsaw New” Mother of the Ruthenian castles “, published by the Institute of Political Thought Gabriela Narutowicz, Russian activity was analyzed on a telegram, addressed to Russian -speaking Polish residents.
The analysis shows that The “Warsaw Mermaid” channel on the telegram is a key tool of disinformationaimed at destabilizing Poland. As research shows, his message, addressed primarily to Ukrainians, Belarusians and Russians living in Poland, is part of a broader strategy of undermining trust in Polish state institutions. The report indicates that the main center of this activity is located in Minsk, and the goal is to create narratives that undermine Poland's stability.
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Anti -Ukrainian threads were strongly emphasized in the propaganda narrative. The channel questioned the contribution of Ukrainians to the Polish economy, claiming that they are a cheap labor force that deprives Poles of Poles. Ukrainians were presented as uninvited guests who abuse Polish benefits and are a source of crime.
– Minsk has technical facilities that allows propaganda activities. He also has strong relations with China, from which he can obtain technologies necessary to implement such activities-explained in an interview with PAP Dr. Katarzyna Kwiatkowska-Moskalewicz, author of the report. She added that Belarus is also a country that educates the so -called IT-Zni-specialists prepared to conduct this type of activity.
The report indicates that people involved in conducting “Warsaw Mermaid” use “political technologies”, i.e. the technique of psychological impact. They are part of the hybrid war, which Moscow and Minsk are against such countries as Poland or Lithuania. These methods, derived from the post -Soviet space, are aimed at causing the impression of the instability of the state, the weaknesses of democracy and European institutions, and the weakening of trust in political and legal order.
In the opinion of Kwiatkowska-Moskalewicz, it is very likely that Moscow controls large media entities, such as “Sputnik”, while Minsk manages smaller channels, such as the one who traced and described in his report. – Poland is a well -recognized area for Belarus, which makes it easier to locate messages. However, Moscow looks at Poland through the prism of other, larger players – such as Berlin, Paris and Washington.
Propagandist's activities were particularly intense during the presidential campaign. Rafał Trzaskowski, who was presented as a candidate depending on the “European Union and LGBT”, pursuing German interests, became the main goal of the hostile narrative. These messages questioned Poland's sovereignty and its readiness to defend military defense. The only candidate presented in a positive light was Sławomir Mentzen from the Confederation, whose opinions on political and military topics were cited on the channel many times.
As part of this campaign, more drastic methods were also used. The report cited an example of a false letter, allegedly sent by the “Ukrainian house” Foundation, calling for the organization of support from Rafał Trzaskowski. The content of letters – containing Russisms and transliteration errors – makes it assume that they were created in Russian and then translated.
Another example was a false recording in which the allegedly light -lifetime, Belarusian oppositionist, expressed support for Trzaskowski. As the report argues, the purpose of this material was to cause negative reactions of voters to a candidate, whom Cichano was supposed to give her support.
-This is not about realistically affecting the result of the election, but only to use an event, which, after all, the Russian-language population in Poland is vividly interested in, although most of the vote is not voted to show Poland as the “Wasal of the West”-Kwiatkowska-Moskalewicz justified the severity of these activities.
“Warsaw Mermaid” also distributed an anti -European and anti -American message. The European Union was presented as a force that destroys Polish statehood. It was said about the alleged loss of sovereignty in favor of Brussels and that European defensive plans would increase Polish financial burdens, while reducing control over the armed forces.
Anti -American threads focused on presenting the US as powers that uses Poland as an obedient satellite and market for arms production. The US embassy, which published a warning against illegal migration, was criticized for cynicism. It was indicated that America allegedly did not tolerate the problems of its allies.
Historical issues are also a tool for the creators of the channel, in particular the matter of the Volyn slaughter. They use the subject of searching, exhumation and commemorating Polish victims, as well as the expectations of Ukrainians regarding the commemoration of UPA places in Poland very actively for their purposes.
According to the author of the report, the activity described by the activity of Belarusian and Russian propaganda centers will gain intensity, and effective counteracting is extremely difficult.
– Technological struggle is a fight with windmills. With large players, like “Sputnik”, they tried to fight, blocking them at the level of the European and international Union, but this did not bring much effect. Today, everyone has access to VPN – the interlocutor noted PAP.
As she argued, you have the most important role to play. And at different levels – central and local authorities, but also by non -governmental organizations. It should present to new Polish residents its good website – integrate, show their Europeanness, which does not exclude them.
– And of course, eliminate growing moods, especially anti -excituance. Although anti-excituance is a bag that all Belarusian, Ukrainian and Russian-speaking people are put in. It must be shown here that the Polish state and Polish society are so strong and confident that the presence of these people does not arouse fear, and it can enrich us – she added.
As she emphasized, disputes against a historical background, unwashed to specialists, and used in a journalistic and political field, resonate. “It is karma for Russian-Belarusian propaganda, which is used by it in various ways, both against the Polish majority and the Eastern-language minority,” said Katarzyna Kwiatkowska-Moskalewicz. (PAP)
Gru/ BST/ MHR/
