Propaganda and Disinformation in the Russian Federation’s Historical Policy Towards Poland and Ukraine (Based on Publications in Russian and Pro-Russian Internet Portals in 2023) ebook

This report is a culmination of the entire project "Shield of History", or Together Against Untruth. A four-area counteraction to Russian disinformation in the area of historical narratives about Poland and Ukraine.

The Janusz Kurtyka Foundation, facing the threat of Russian disinformation, has initiated the project „”Shield of History, or Together Against Untruth. A four-area counteraction to Russian disinformation in the area of historical narratives about Poland and Ukraine”. Its goal is to counteract Kremlin’s propaganda distorting the past of these countries in the public space, prevent Moscow from antagonizing Warsaw and Kyiv, work to improve the image of Poles in Ukraine and Ukrainians in Poland, and improve the awareness of citizens of both countries about the hypocrisy of their history.

In carrying out the project, from April to November 2023, Russian and Belarusian media space was monitored, with a particular focus on content appearing on Internet portals. Messages detrimental to the image of Poland and Ukraine were identified, unmasked, and a scientifically accurate picture of misrepresented or manipulated facts was presented in opposition to them. The tool for disseminating the results of this work took the form of infographics containing concise messages quoting and debunking untruths spread by Russian propaganda. These materials were made public on the social media of the Janusz Kurtyka Foundation.

The organization also established a Polish-Ukrainian Forum for Counteracting Russian Disinformation in the Area of Polish and Ukrainian History, which invited recognized researchers from the countries mentioned, dealing with the past of Poland, Ukraine and Russia in different historical periods.

As part of its deliberations, experts debated the contentious issues arising in Polish-Ukrainian relations throughout history, pointing out the goals and methods of Kremlin’s propaganda and drawing attention to the elements that can be exploited by it. The scholars looked at the possibility of integrating the two countries in the field of history, noting the common past and examples of events and figures treated positively by historical memory in each country.

The culmination of the entire project is this report, which aims to summarize the work of the project, raise awareness of Russian disinformation among Polish citizens and strengthen the counter-information activities undertaken in the Internet space that expose it.

Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within the grant competition “Public Diplomacy 2023”.

This book appeared on Legimi thanks to digitalization processes in the Janusz Kurtyka Foundation conducted as part of the public task Na przeciw wichrom, czyli Fort Przeszłość/Przyszłość. Rozwój działalności misyjnej Fundacji im. Janusza Kurtyki poprzez umocnienie instytucjonalne [Against winds or Past and Future Fort - the development of non governmental activities by the Janusz Kurtya Foundation through institutional consolidation. Financed. Financed from funds from Narodowy Instytut Wolności – Centrum Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego [National Institut of Freedom - Center of the Development of Citizen's Society]  as part of Rządowy Programu Rozwoju Organizacji Obywatelskich na lata 2018-2030 [Govermental Program of Citizens' Organizations for 2018-2030].