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Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania combat Russian propaganda: Polish UN envoy

16.06.2023 11:00
Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania are showing “significant signs of resilience” to Russian propaganda, while international cooperation is key to combating the Kremlin’s disinformation, the Polish ambassador to the United Nations has said.
Krzysztof Szczerski.
Krzysztof Szczerski.Twitter/Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations in New York.

Krzysztof Szczerski made the remarks in New York on Thursday night, Polish state news agency PAP reported. 

The senior diplomat was speaking at the Polish embassy to the UN to mark the launch of a new report on how Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania are countering Russian disinformation, officials said. 

The event attracted experts, reporters and diplomats from more than 30 countries, according to the Polish embassy. 

Entitled Resilience to Disinformation, the new study was compiled by Polish think tank the Kościuszko Institute, Ukrainian non-profit Detector Media and Lithuania’s Civic Resilience Initiative, the PAP news agency reported.

Szczerski told the gathering: “The new report explores the very topical issue of Russian disinformation. Obviously, Russian disinformation campaigns are mainly targeted at Ukraine, but also at Poland and Lithuania, which have demonstrated unwavering political, military and humanitarian support for Ukraine.”

Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania 'resilient to Russian propaganda’

The Polish UN envoy said the report had found that “Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania are showing significant signs of resilience to Russian propaganda.”

The study also identified best practice in combating Russian propaganda and disinformation, "which can be useful worldwide," according to officials. 

At the same time, Szczerski stressed the need “to maintain vigilance" and continue efforts to "counter the Kremlin’s propaganda and disinformation,” the PAP news agency reported.

He warned that Russia’s information-warfare campaigns “could become even more dangerous with the advent of artificial intelligence.”

Szczerski told the event that “the spreading of disinformation is now a transnational phenomenon.”

Need for int'l cooperation against Russian disinformation

He said: “Disinformation campaigns are increasingly employed by states and state-sponsored groups in hybrid influence operations, designed to affect decision-making processes in UN member countries, for instance.”

Szczerski stated: “Russia’s heinous aggression against Ukraine has also highlighted the global impact of disinformation, whose effects are felt across the world.”

He urged: “And so it is of key importance that various stakeholders work together internationally to combat disinformation.”

Szczerski said the new report represented "one of the fruits" of the three-way partnership between Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania, known as the Lublin Triangle

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

Friday is day 478 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, ik.org.plpolskieradio24.pl