Stanisław Żaryn made the remark in an interview with Polish state news agency PAP on Thursday.
Żaryn, who is the Polish government’s pointman for information space security, said that Medvedev had become “one of the Kremlin’s most aggressive propagandists” in recent months.
'Some kind of fence on our border'
Medvedev, an ex-president and former prime minister of Russia, took to social media on Thursday to comment on Poland’s decision to build a temporary barrier on its border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, the interia.pl website reported.
The Russian politician wrote on the Telegram social messaging app that the Poles were busying themselves with “some minor nonsense,” such as “confiscating a recreation centre near the Russian embassy or starting to build some kind of fence on our border.”
Medvedev added that Poland’s decision to build the barrier came as Russia prepares to celebrate National Unity Day on November 4 to commemorate the expulsion of Polish forces from the Kremlin in 1612.
He also stated that after "the insolent Poles" were driven out of Moscow in 1612, Poland began “a terrible run,” marked by “endless disputes and partitions,” the PAP news agency reported.
'Anti-Polish phobia' in the Kremlin
In the interview with PAP, Żaryn described Medvedev’s comments as “yet another, very combative statement against Poland and the Polish people by Medvedev.”
Żaryn added: “This latest social media post seems to reflect some kind of inferiority complex with regard to Poland, because Medvedev himself is mentioning the fact that the Poles seized the Kremlin and had its ruler there, something that no other nation has done.”
Żaryn said that Medvedev's mention of 1612 suggested “an anti-Polish phobia that prevails in the Kremlin and may be caused by an inferiority complex of a historical nature.”
The Polish security official added: “It is evident that we are being treated as enemies by the Kremlin, while the authorities and the Kremlin propagandists are also seeking to create hostility in Russian society.”
Żaryn said that activities targeted against Poland “are thankfully of a hybrid nature,” but “this is the same hatred that prompted Russia to attack Ukraine, a hatred underpinned by imperial tendencies that are still being cultivated in Russia.”
‘A pawn of Russian propaganda’
Żaryn observed that back in 2008 Medvedev’s image was very different from what it is today.
“Back then Russia was creating a kind of facade and illusion of seeking to move in the direction of democratic values and it was Medvedev who was being portrayed as a more democratic or liberal face of the country,” Żaryn said.
He added: “Now we can see that he has been used as a mere pawn in the game being played by Russian propaganda.”
Żaryn also said that Medvedev had been given "instructions" to make him “one of Russia’s most aggressive propagandists,” tasked with attacking Poland, "but also the entire West.”
Żaryn told the PAP news agency: “Our analysis suggests that he is being forced to act in this way … It also suggests that Medvedev is being humiliated by the Kremlin elites because he has been cast in a role that doesn’t really suit him.”
Thursday was day 253 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, interia.pl, wnp.pl