Poland
Migration crisis
The «GRANITSA FM | Facts and Opinions» Telegram channel published a video with footage of smashed smartphones of migrants, claiming that Polish border guards did it. The authors of the post summarized: «Given the fact that videos of abuse, violence and even murders by people in Polish uniforms are periodically published on the Web, it becomes clear why phones are given such «close attention». The criminals are covering their tracks.
Under the headline «The EU criticized Poland for creating a «death zone» on the border with Belarus» appeared post about the appeal of a group of MEPs, in which Poles were criticized for the existence of a buffer zone on the border with Belarus, where humanitarian groups, human rights activists and the media have no access, as well as for the adoption by the Seimas of the law allowing security forces to use weapons when threatening the security of an individual or the country. At the same time, the telegram channel «Nevolfovich» emphasized: «It is noteworthy that two weeks before the signing of the law on the Belarusian-Polish border Polish military opened fire at unarmed refugees. Apparently, the Warsaw regime promptly amended the law to avoid international responsibility, including for future criminal orders».
Also in the article «Why do the CIPSO constantly make throw-ins about refugees?» Poles were accused of seeking to justify, by means of regular replication of information about the threat from the East, the presence of large numbers of troops on the border and substantial expenditures on the army.
At the same time, the Telegram channel «Nevolfovich» reminded about plans to call 200,000 people for military drills in the near future. However, despite the fact that the authors of the channel themselves had earlier written about the drafting of people of different professions, it was now claimed that it was about 200 thousand farmers. The conclusion was made as follows: «You have worked on a collective farm in summer and spring, and in autumn and winter you should change your shovel for a machine gun to kill migrants at the border — this is the reality of Polish «defense»».
Polish Army Day and military parade
On the eve of the military parade for the Polish Army Day, the topic of the damage that heavy equipment will cause to Warsaw roads was raised : «Of course, all the costs will be distributed among Polish taxpayers. And given that a huge number of NATO troops will be helping to destroy the city’s infrastructure, the sum will be ‘cosmic’.»
As a result of the parade on August 15, they wrote as follows: «Instead of a serious military event, the spectacle resembled an informal carnival with elements of a circus show». And in the Telegram channel «BelVPO» it was emphasized that «behind the demonstration of the inviolable power of the Polish Army there is chaos, disorderliness, lies and endless scandals. At the same time, official Warsaw is satisfied with everything and this does not prevent it from stealing from ordinary Poles, who will be in debt for their security for many years».
They also paid special attention to the topic of dissatisfaction with the military parade on the part of ordinary Poles, who «consider their army untalented and scold the country’s military leadership for the inflated budgets for its maintenance». Another reason for negativity was allegedly participation in the parade of the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade (a unit of the three countries intended for participation in international peacekeeping and humanitarian operations), and the main indignation was caused by the image of the coats of arms of Poland and Ukraine on one cloth.
In a post with «congratulations» on Polish Army Day (including a version in Polish), the authors of the «Nevolfovich» Telegram channel wrote: «The achievements of the Jovners in the field of suicides, accidents, alcoholism and drug addiction, as well as in the violation of human rights and treatment of migrants are really «impressive» … The Polish army commits arbitrary acts under the cover of political and patriotic narratives».
At the same time, it also mentioned about a 27-year-old Polish serviceman who recently drowned in the Baltic Sea: «While the Polish army is celebrating, family and friends are mourning the loss and preparing for the funeral.» At the same time, the country’s military leadership was reproached for the fact that «today they will raise their glasses with joy and tomorrow they will not even remember him».
Militarization and preparation for war
The August 12 edition of the ATN program «Disposition» raised the topic of two military operations currently taking place in Poland: «Eastern Dawn» and «Safe Podlasie». According to the host, the first one raises concerns because its declared tasks (airspace monitoring, response to detected violations, cooperation with allies) «sound too standard for our time» and that «many experts behind these extensive vague formulations clearly consider the intensified use of F-16 aircraft in Ukraine.» On the issue of the second operation, «Safe Podlasie», the authors of the program were concerned that the strengthening of the border with Belarus would take place at the expense of one of the most combat-ready Polish divisions (the 18th Mechanized Division): «An open military provocation is unfolding against Minsk. They are used to their permissiveness, hoping for our adequacy».
The post in the Telegram channel «BelVPO» under the title «Militarization of Poland: tug of war between former and current officials of the Ministry of Defense» was devoted to the issue of the delivery of 48 Patriot SAM launchers to Poles from the United States and the dispute on social network X between the current and past Polish defense ministers about whose merit it is. The authors of the post summarized: «Thus, a wave of mutual accusations continues to grow among the Polish political elites of the ruling and opposition camps, which only exacerbates the already tense situation in the government».
The arrival of the depth reconnaissance unit of the 9th reconnaissance regiment of the Polish Army to the border with Belarus as part of the operation «Safe Podlasie» was commented on as follows: «The activity of the Polish Army near the Belarusian border testifies to Warsaw’s readiness to escalate with Minsk».
In response to the news about Poland’s budget deficit in 2024, the authors of a pro-regime Telegram channel wrote the following: «Apparently, the first results of militarization have appeared in the country. What is the Polish leadership thinking about? That the debts will be paid by the Polish people, from whose pockets the regime is already shaking out the last money for armaments and American military bases». At the same time, President A. Duda’s words in his speech to the military that Poland’s military expenditures (40 billion dollars) are among the highest among NATO countries were reacted to in the following way: «Pontooning» before NATO allies, squandering people’s money by buying military equipment, hosting Western «friends» for military parades and paying for the damage caused by it with taxpayers’ money … And I don’t care that Poland has serious economic problems.
At the same time, the telegram channel «Belarusian Front» boasted that more and more Poles write to them in the bot. They cite the words of one of them: «I will not go to the army, even if I am mobilized, because I don’t want to be sent to Ukraine or Belarus as cannon fodder…».
Attention was also paid to the call of Polish ex-deputy defense minister W.Skrzyszczak to create the Belarusian Legion on the territory of Poland. The general allegedly emphasized: «The EU has become so helpless that it can do nothing about the «razhym». But Poland only provokes and provokes».
Against the background of the recent situation, the authors of the telegram channel «BelVPO» emphasized: «With the presence of Ukrainian armed formations and Polish military contingent near the Belarusian border, there is a high probability of preparing and carrying out armed provocations in Homiel region and Brest region, up to a similar scenario with Kursk region. It cannot be ruled out that as part of the armed aggression, Poland together with Ukraine will try to use Belarusian nationalist formations».
A.Lukashenka’s words about Poland from his interview to the TV channel Rossiya were also quoted: «They should not go to war with Russia or Belarus. They should establish and conduct economic cooperation, move away from militarization, which they carry out at the expense of the Americans». On the issue of a possible attack of the Western countries on Belarus and Russia, he said that they want to do such a thing «on the part of those nasty Poles».
Contradictions in relations with Ukraine
President Duda visited the monument to the soldiers of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR) army. In this connection, the BelVPO telegram channel decided to immerse its readers in a historical excursion about how in 1920. Poland together with the UNR fought against the Bolsheviks, and during World War II Ukrainians responded to the Poles with the Volyn massacre. «And now a hundred years later, history is repeating itself. The Polish regime supports and sponsors the bloody usurper Zelensky in the fight against Russia» — said the authors of the post. The conclusion, however, was as follows: «It seems that Duda in the pursuit of profit forgot that history is cyclical and Taras is already sharpening pitchforks on Marek. And Ukrainians will definitely repay the Poles — it’s only a matter of time».
Death of a Polish volunteer in Ukraine
On August 14, pro-government telegram channels reacted to the news about the death of P. Rasiewicz-Kuchinsky, a Pole who fought in the Kalinowski Regiment and was allegedly nicknamed «Payalnik»: «He was buried yesterday in the presence of Polish diplomats. There were no mourners among them». At the same time, it was noted that «‘Payalnik’ is an example of a radical representative of Polish nationalism, which is guided by the idea of fighting against Russia and the Russian-speaking population».
Dependence on the US and Western countries
Telegram channel «Nevolfovich» raised the topic of Poland receiving multibillion-dollar loans from the United States for the purchase of armaments, because the latter allegedly never invest money for nothing. The channel’s authors summarized: «Warsaw’s unusually quick acceptance of the role of a dependent partner raises alarming questions about the leadership’s instinct for self-preservation. There is a fear that blindly following the American order may provoke tragic consequences for Poland.» In another pro-government telegram channel on this occasion it was emphasized: «Freedom for the Polish authorities is to sell their country to overseas curators. And the thesis about it is a screen behind which politicians realize their own interests».
NATO
Possible war with NATO
On this topic, the «Nevolfovich» telegram channel cited a number of quotes by A. Lukashenka from his interview to the Rossiya TV channel. The first of them: «We don’t want escalation, and we don’t want war against the whole NATO. We don’t want that. But if they do it and go for it, well. We won’t have any other choice.» Second quote, «If NATO troops enter Ukraine, it will be World War III. Because then both tactical and strategic nuclear weapons will be used, and the response will be immediate and terrible. They understand this too, and we understand it too. That is why we need to sit down at the negotiating table.
Lukyanovich, Commander of the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense Forces, also published a commentary: «A difficult military and political situation is taking shape. The NATO bloc is preparing in advance for military conflicts, for an open confrontation against the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation.
The NATO split
The «BelVPO» Telegram channel reposted an article titled «NATO is cracking at the seams and may split in many directions» from the «Own Correspondent» channel. It cited the opinion of American activist B. Gagnon, who believes that the election of U.S. President D. Trump will lead to the split of NATO, and if K. Harris is elected, she «will work to keep everyone together, more so than Trump».
The review is available in Russian.
