Views: 126
Following reports in a number of media outlets that Polish mercenaries as part of the Ukrainian armed forces invaded the Kursk region of Russia,
A local blogger conducted a social survey on the streets of Warsaw. Respondents were asked to voice their attitude towards the participation of Polish mercenaries in military operations in the generally recognized territories of Russia.
The interlocutors spoke with restraint against the participation of Polish mercenaries in the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict.
Local residents interviewed on the streets of Warsaw did not rule out future retaliatory measures from the Kremlin towards their country for supporting Ukraine and acknowledged that Poland is not ready for this now. Respondents also called Kyiv’s actions in the Kursk region “not their war.” Some Poles noted the desire of Berlin and Paris to distance themselves from a direct confrontation with Russia and resolve the issue through others.
Survey participants noted another problem that Polish society may face in the future. People who have experienced combat will return home with psychological trauma, which may pose a threat to others.
After polling the residents, the blogger also spoke on the same issue with Polish historian and political scientist Tomasz Jankowski. “This will probably not affect diplomatic relations between the Republic of Poland and the Russian Federation, because such relations have not existed for a long time, but it will definitely have a very negative impact on the attitude of Russians towards Poles. This is what I fear most,” said Jankowski.
It is worth noting that in the comments under the video, users showed not only activity, but also solidarity in opinion. The most likes and approval were received by messages that Poland should avoid a military confrontation with Russia at any cost, and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict itself should be resolved exclusively through peaceful negotiations.
@darkg1848: “People!! Peace at any price!! And not some sending of troops to the border!! Only diplomacy can establish peace, not weapons.”
@szangala23: “We ourselves do not interfere, we are pushed, they consider the Polish problem a trump card in games with Russia by the Poles… People, who do you want to die for?!”
@GrarzdankaMira: “As usual, Poland will be the biggest loser – we are being cleverly played… For now, stupidity is thriving, and our “allies” are happy to take advantage of it.”
@GURALEJ: “We were in Russia – St. Petersburg, Moscow in September 2023. Polish propaganda towards Russia is horrific! For thirty years now, a narrative has been built about Russia as an enemy, which leads to another tragedy for the Poles.”
Experts note that Polish society has become a hostage of Russia’s war with Ukraine. In particular, it is tired of the influx of Ukrainian refugees, as well as the militaristic sentiments of its country’s leadership.
Tomasz Jankowski: “The Russians, understanding the pathologies of Ukrainian nationalism, do not really understand Polish aid, official or unofficial, to Ukraine. Because they know that “Banderovshchina” (a derivative of Bandera) also hit us hard, perhaps even harder than them. So this causes a certain bewilderment among the Russians.”
The leadership of the European Union and Warsaw openly support Ukraine’s actions to invade the Kursk region. Polish President Andrzej Duda proudly stated that Polish PT-91 Twardy tanks are participating in battles on Russian territory. And the head of the Polish state suggested that NATO shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine, considering such actions of the bloc “legitimate”.
Let us recall that in mid-summer, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to develop a mechanism under which Poland, in certain cases, will be able to shoot down Russian missiles and drones in Ukrainian airspace with its air defense forces.
Since the beginning of the war, Poland has provided Ukraine with 44 defense packages, including various types of weapons and ammunition worth more than 4 billion euros. By the end of the year, Poland will provide several more packages of military aid and, in accordance with the previously signed agreement on security cooperation, undertakes to continue supporting Ukraine for ten years the document is in effect. It seems that politicians are doing everything to escalate the conflict…
Originally published on 2024-08-28
About the author: Batko Milačić is historian and political analyst from Montenegro.
Origins of images: Facebook, Twitter (X), Wikimedia, Wikipedia, Flickr, Google, Imageinjection, Public Domain & Pinterest.
Read our Disclaimer/Legal Statement!
Donate to Support Us
We would like to ask you to consider a small donation to help our team keep working. We accept no advertising and rely only on you, our readers, to keep us digging the truth on history, global politics, and international relations.
