«Arson» in Poland: Another disinformation campaign targeting Ukrainian refugees exposed
On social media, videos showing a house engulfed in smoke and flames are being widely circulated, falsely blaming Ukrainian citizens for the arson.
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A previous fire in Poland is being presented as a recent arson, with Ukrainian refugees falsely blamed / © Center for Countering Disinformation
Russian propaganda is spreading archived footage of a 2021 fire in the Polish city of Racibórz. These clips are presented as «breaking news» and are used to unjustly accuse Ukrainians of setting the fire, stoking hostility, and discrediting refugees.
The information was provided by the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD).
What’s wrong with the video
Experts at the CCD examined the footage and verified the facts, which are supported by archived publications in Polish media:
the video is old, dating back to 2021;
Ukrainians had nothing to do with the incident — neither then nor now.
Who is doing this and why
According to the CCD, the fake is being spread by a «coordinated network of anonymous accounts.» These same bots systematically publish anti-Ukrainian content aimed specifically at a Polish audience.
The enemy’s goal remains unchanged — to emotionally destabilize society, stir up xenophobia, and sour Polish attitudes toward Ukrainian refugees. This is a classic Kremlin tactic to weaken solidarity between the two countries.