Poland continues to be targeted by Russian propagandists with disinformation campaigns aimed at messing with the country's political discourse. Polish authorities have recently attributed a fake news report that appeared on Poland's national news agency PAP to Russian origins.
The false narrative, which claimed Poland intended to mobilize 200,000 men for military service, has raised concerns about manipulating public perception and spreading misinformation.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk addresses participants during the opening session of XVI European Economic Congress (EEC) in Katowice, Poland, on May 7, 2024. The congress revolves 'around critical branches of the economy, directions for social development, as well as trends and events with a potential to shape the future', according to organisers. (Photo : WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Poland Investigates the Fake News
Polish officials believed this was the work of Russia-sponsored hackers designed to meddle with the upcoming European Parliament election. The fabricated report claimed that Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk wanted to deploy these hundreds of thousands of men to Ukraine starting July 1.
The Associated Press reported that Digital Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski told private broadcaster Polsat News that the incident bore the hallmarks of a cyberattack orchestrated by Russia.
In a post on X, Tusk noted it was another "very dangerous hacker attack" that illustrated Russia's destabilization strategy ahead of the European elections. Russian authorities have yet to respond to the allegations.
The "urgent" report appeared on PAP on Friday at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT). Eight minutes later, the news agency removed the report and said in a statement that it did not originate from them. However, the fake news surfaced on the wire again, prompting another removal.
Security authorities said that their specialists were actively investigating to trace the origin of the hack and were concurrently implementing measures to safeguard PAP's systems against future attempts to disseminate fabricated news.
Poland's Battle Against Hybrid Warfare Amid Rising Tensions
According to government sources, Poland is currently under attack in a hybrid warfare campaign orchestrated by the intelligence agencies of Russia and Belarus.
Polish officials alleged that tactics employed in this campaign involve strategies such as orchestrating the movement of migrants towards the border from Belarus, instances of sabotage including attempted arson, incidents of spying, and cyberattacks targeting state administrative institutions.
Gawkowski noted that Poland's critical infrastructure faces constant threats from various incidents and cyber assaults. The upcoming European Parliament election in Poland is scheduled for June 9.
Poland supports Ukraine's path towards European integration for several key reasons. A self-reliant and robust Ukraine that maintains friendly relations with Poland is a crucial element in Poland's Eastern European strategy. It acts as a significant counterbalance to the influence and ambitions of the Russian Federation in the region.
The strong political ties and outpouring support for Ukrainian refugees in Poland have led to additional assistance. According to DW, Poland played a crucial role in rearming Ukraine's ground forces during the early days of the war, which is deemed vital for Ukraine's defense.
