Pro-Russian Disinformation Networks Flourish on Telegram in Poland

An alarming trend has surfaced as multiple Polish-language Telegram channels have been identified as significant spreaders of pro-Russian disinformation. These channels manipulate information and perpetuate false narratives, impacting public perceptions of the Ukraine conflict and potentially polarizing Polish society.

In the heart of a forest clearing, two men in camouflage attire burn portraits of world leaders alongside the US flag, expressing outrage over US support for Ukraine through mispronounced Ukrainian phrases. This staged act, aimed at disseminating a pro-Russian agenda, was shared on the Polska Grupa Informacyjna Telegram channel, one of 22 such Polish-language platforms identified by BBC that collectively host over 150,000 subscribers.

Despite Telegram's limited popularity in Poland, experts opine that the misinformation circulated on these channels finds greater amplification through extremist groups, ultimately permeating larger social media platforms like X (Twitter) and Facebook. Posing as reliable news sources, many of these channels often echo narratives from banned Russian state media outlets, sowing seeds of confusion among the Polish populace.

The channels frequently spread overtly false content, such as portraying the Ukrainian leadership as a "Nazi regime" and questioning the credibility of notable events like the Bucha killings, thereby skewing the public's understanding of the war in Ukraine. Such misleading representations are designed not only to misinform but also to portray Ukrainian refugees negatively, potentially affecting their acceptance in Poland.

Since the onset of the Russian invasion, Russian disinformation strategies have proliferated in the Polish digital landscape, with Telegram serving as a launchpad from which narratives gain traction. Aleksy Szymkiewicz from the Polish fact-checking organization Demagog emphasizes the insidious nature of these channels, which aim to fracture Polish-Ukrainian relations under the guise of providing reliable information.

A historical reluctance towards Russia within Poland complicates reception of explicit pro-Kremlin messages; hence, influencers blend pro-Russian content with conspiracies and far-right narratives to resonate with audiences. The obscure identities behind many channels suggest potential ties to Russian or Belarusian influence operations, raising concerns about the sustainability of pro-Ukraine sentiment in Poland.

Media outlets like Pravda PL and UKR LEAKS are documented as part of an extensive international network pushing pro-Kremlin narratives, often with unclear motivations. Despite complaints regarding their content’s integrity, channels like Polska Grupa Informacyjna maintain claims of impartiality and have dismissed accusations of political affiliation.

As these disinformation campaigns thrive, they pose a substantial risk to the real-time solutions and community support mechanisms that have characterized Poland's response to the refugee crisis, leaving an unsettled atmosphere in their wake.