Reports: Russian-linked disinformation targets Poland-Ukraine rift amid historical grievances

What happened

The Kyiv Independent reports that on June 22, a Russian-linked disinformation operation known as the Matryoshka bot network propagated fake social media posts aimed at exacerbating tensions between Poland and Ukraine. These posts exploited recent controversy over Ukraine granting a military unit a title linked to the WWII-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a source of historical grievance between the two countries.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. The campaign leverages Russian propaganda narratives accusing Ukrainian elites and segments of the public of rampant 'Nazism,' a charge often used to delegitimize Kyiv internationally. Among the falsehoods spread were claims that a prominent Polish historian called for barring President Zelensky from Holocaust commemorations and that Estonian officials returned Polish state awards in protest, which are unsubstantiated and manipulated content.

Some posts went further, alleging internal hostility between Polish 'mercenaries' and Ukrainian fighters, using forged logos of respected media and research outlets like Euronews, Der Spiegel, and the Institute for the Study of War to lend false credibility. The bot network boosted view counts artificially, complicating attempts to assess the scale of the disinformation’s reach.

Known from the source

• A Russian-linked disinformation campaign, attributed to the Matryoshka bot network, circulated fake social media posts on June 22.
• The posts focus on worsening the dispute between Poland and Ukraine triggered by Ukraine granting a military unit a UPA-related title.
• The disinformation includes false claims about Polish and Estonian officials and internal conflicts between Polish fighters and Ukrainians.
• The network used forged logos of established media and organizations and inflated view counts artificially.
• The dispute relates to contested historical narratives about the UPA's role in WWII and has caused a diplomatic crisis including Poland stripping Zelensky of a top honor.

What remains unclear

Poland and Ukraine remain close partners in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with Poland hosting millions of Ukrainian refugees and serving as a key arms transit route. However, their relationship is historically fraught, especially concerning the UPA's contested legacy: Ukrainian narratives emphasize resistance against Soviet forces, while Polish memory centers on atrocities against civilians during WWII.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Independent verification of Matryoshka bot network activity and its scale. Confirmation of the accuracy of specific false claims attributed to individuals or groups. Assessment of the real reach and influence of these disinformation posts.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Kyiv Independent. Open the source.