Exposing and amplifying of the tragic chapters in Polish-Ukrainian history plays a key role in Russia’s disinformation campaign. The goal is not to generate sympathy for Russia, but to inflame tensions between the two countries.
“Russian strategic planners understand that history can divide allies. Poland’s critical role within NATO and as Ukraine’s main logistical corridor makes it an ideal target for manipulation,” argues Dr. Floris van Berckel Smit, a researcher at Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
In this context, he points above all to the Volhynian Massacre. Russian propaganda aimed at Poland focuses on the dispute over exhumations and the differing perceptions of the UPA in Poland and in Ukraine.
“In Poland, these events are recognised as genocide. In Ukraine, however, some honour the UPA as anti-Soviet resistance fighters,” the Dutch researcher reminds. He emphasises that September 2024 marked a certain breakthrough on the issue of exhumations: Ukraine agreed to allow Polish exhumations to resume, and Poland granted reciprocal permission for Ukrainian exhumations on its territory.
In Ukraine’s case, Kremlin propaganda has concentrated on trying to convince Ukrainians that Poland intends to use historical issues to revise borders.
“Kremlin propaganda has portrayed Poland’s interest in exhumations as a pretext for territorial revisionism – a supposed attempt to reclaim the Volhynia region. Some Ukrainian commentators, influenced by Soviet-era narratives, continue to suspect Polish expansionism. These misunderstandings feed mistrust and risk undermining allied cohesion,”says van Berckel Smit.
“Moscow’s stirring of the tragic past between Poland and Ukraine is a facet of its information campaign against the West, yet understanding that history – and how it is manipulated – can help those confronting Russia,” emphasises the Dutch historian.
He adds: “Supporting Ukraine’s future also means supporting efforts to reconcile its past with that of its neighbours, especially Poland, but also others, where unresolved historical disputes continue to influence current policy and are easily exploited by Russia.”
“Poland demonstrates how history can be used constructively: as a diplomatic tool, a means of persuasion and a source of resilience against disinformation,” he concludes.
Floris van Berckel Smit: Poland, Ukraine, and Russia’s War on History
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