Key facts
- Poland arrested a Russian national allegedly hired by Russian intelligence services to kill a Ukrainian-American citizen.
- Polish authorities prevented the assassination plot.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated this is the first time Russia targeted a U.S. citizen on NATO territory.
- The operation was conducted in cooperation with U.S. services.
- Russia has intensified its online disinformation campaign in Poland, leveraging a dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv.
- Anti-Ukrainian content on social media in Poland increased significantly following a controversy over historical massacres.
Polish authorities have arrested a Russian national accused of planning to kill a Ukrainian-American dual citizen in Warsaw, an incident Prime Minister Donald Tusk described as unprecedented and the first alleged targeting of a U.S. citizen on NATO soil. The operation, conducted with U.S. services, comes as Russia is accused of significantly escalating its online disinformation campaigns in Poland. Officials and researchers state Russia is exploiting a dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv over World War Two massacres to inflame tensions and foster anti-Ukrainian sentiment, particularly among Polish refugees. Analysis indicates a substantial increase in anti-Ukrainian content across social media platforms following a controversy involving President Volodymyr Zelenskiy naming an army unit after insurgents involved in the massacres. This tactic, which amplifies real events rather than fabricating news, is seen as a new disinformation strategy by Moscow, which denies interference. The negative sentiment towards Ukraine in Poland is also influenced by factors such as weariness with Ukrainian migrants, grain import disputes, and the historical legacy of the killings, potentially impacting upcoming elections.