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Russian propaganda aims to discredit Polish army, national security agencies: gov’t official

11.09.2023 21:45
Russian propaganda is seeking to discredit Poland’s army and national security agencies and has falsely accused NATO soldiers stationed in Poland of criminal activity, a senior Polish security official has said.
Stanisław Żaryn, the Polish governments commissioner for the security of Polands information space.
Stanisław Żaryn, the Polish government's commissioner for the security of Poland’s information space.PAP/Tomasz Gzell

Stanisław Żaryn made the assessment on social media on Monday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

Żaryn, who is the government commissioner for the security of Poland’s information space, said: “Russia is continuing its operation designed to discredit the agencies responsible for Poland’s security. The Russians have recently made another attempt to question the ability of our armed forces to protect Poland and the Polish people.” 

The official added that both the Kremlin and the Belarusian regime were seeking to “intimidate Poland” by publicising the deployment of the Iskander-M ballistic missile systems and nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus, the PAP news agency reported.

Żaryn stated that Russian propaganda had been making various disinformation claims about the Polish army, pushing the message that “the modernisation of the Polish military is superficial,” that  the newly acquired weapons systems “serve only Ukraine” and that the Polish army “has no real combat value.”

Żaryn added that the Kremlin was making false allegations against NATO troops stationed in Poland, accusing them of “offences, crimes and hostile intentions towards Polish people.”

According to the government commissioner for the security of Poland’s information space, Russia is also accusing Poland of “conducting military operations in Ukraine.” 

Żaryn added that the Kremlin’s propaganda was falsely claiming that “Polish volunteers in Ukraine are in fact Polish army soldiers, who are forcing Ukrainians to wage war against Russia.”

Monday is day 565 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. 

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.

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Source: PAP, TVP Info