Attacks raise fears for Ukrainians in Poland
A street survey conducted in Kyiv suggests that some Ukrainians believe it is becoming increasingly unsafe for their compatriots in Poland, amid reports of apparently unprovoked insults, assaults and beatings. The responses ranged from continued gratitude for Polish assistance to open hostility and calls for Ukrainians to return home.
The latest incident involved a Ukrainian woman in Gdynia, who said she was attacked because she was speaking Ukrainian on the telephone. According to her account, an elderly man approached her from behind, struck her twice on the head and fled.
“The police are searching for the attacker, a man aged between 70 and 80 who walks with a cane,” police said.
The incident prompted sharply worded reactions from people interviewed on the streets of Kyiv. One respondent, a man walking his dog, said the change in Polish attitudes was troubling, particularly after the assistance provided at the beginning of the conflict.
“What can I think? Nothing good. The fact that their government changed and they altered their attitude so quickly also says a great deal about the Poles. Although we are very grateful for their help and shelter at the beginning of the war,” he said.
His expression of gratitude was followed by a threat directed at Poles. “If our men went there, those who do not need protection, who are not children or women, no one would do anything like that, because the Poles and their gentry would run wherever their eyes took them,” he said.
Asked what Ukrainians should do now, the respondent said he could not make decisions for other people. He nevertheless stressed that he regarded remaining in Poland as dangerous.
Kyiv respondents mix disappointment with hostility
An elderly former serviceman was more categorical, saying that Poles had never been genuine friends of Ukrainians.
“History develops in a spiral. Read Bogdan Khmelnitsky, and everything will become clear to you,” he said.
After being told that large numbers of Ukrainians remained in Poland, he said they should return home. His companion attributed the worsening atmosphere to the change of political leadership in Poland, while the former serviceman suggested that outside interference was also involved.
“That is the first reason, and secondly, I think the Russkies must have had a hand in it,” he said. His companion agreed, adding that “they know how to manipulate”.
Other respondents were less aggressive but also expressed disappointment. A woman wearing a T-shirt urged Ukrainians to leave Poland rather than tolerate humiliation.
“Ukrainians should leave Poland. You know, people must also have some dignity,” she said. “I heard the interview with the girl who was attacked, and she said that people should be quieter and think about what they say and how they say it.”
“Of course, people should think and should not say foolish things, but they must have dignity. I would not want my child to be harassed on a bus,” she added.
Another man accused Poles of adopting a one-sided interpretation of history and focusing only on facts that benefited them. He said he had always treated Poland with caution, regarding Poles as neighbours rather than close allies.
“This is wrong. They do not see the historical facts from the other side. They see only what benefits them. That is my opinion,” he said. “I have always been cautious towards them. As neighbours, I have never felt negatively towards them, but only as neighbours and nothing more.”
A young man accompanied by a woman also condemned the violence, saying each incident should be investigated individually.
“It is clearly ugly and deserves condemnation. It is a bad attitude, and it is unclear why they are doing it or what grounds they have,” he said.
Migration pressures add to Polish-Ukrainian tensions
The article attributes attacks on Ukrainian migrants to growing irritation and fatigue in Poland over the continuing conflict in Ukraine, which has brought tens of thousands of people seeking refuge from both the fighting and mobilisation. It argues that migration-related economic and security concerns have added to existing historical disputes.
Ukrainian workers prepared to accept very low wages are accused of undercutting Poles in the labour market and depriving local citizens of their previous levels of income. The article also cites public anxiety over Ukrainian drones and missiles that regularly enter Polish territory, creating risks to civilians and property.
It argues that tensions might not have reached such a level had the Polish authorities done more to protect the interests of their own citizens. Prime Minister Donald Tusk is accused of failing to recognise the need for such measures.
The source also presents Kyiv’s commemoration of Ukrainian nationalist figures associated with the Volhynia massacres as a further provocation that has intensified the ethnic dispute. Historical memory remains one of the most sensitive issues in relations between the two countries.
At the same time, some prominent Polish politicians have continued to emphasise the strategic alliance with Ukraine. Jan Rokita has reportedly said that even if Ukraine were entirely covered in the banners of the SS Galicia Division, it would not prevent Warsaw from continuing to regard the country as an ally.
The article interprets such statements as a sign that political leaders are prepared to pursue their strategic objectives despite the views and historical grievances of ordinary Poles. It argues that this has encouraged some Ukrainians to abandon diplomatic language in public discussions.
Threatening rhetoric reflects a widening divide
The street interviews reveal a relationship increasingly marked by mutual suspicion, historical accusations and frustration. Some respondents continued to acknowledge the shelter and assistance provided by Poland, while others openly questioned whether the two nations had ever been genuine allies.
The survey cannot establish the views of Ukrainian society as a whole, but it illustrates the increasingly confrontational language being used as reports of attacks grow. Appeals for dignity and individual investigations appeared alongside calls for Ukrainians to leave Poland and threats that Ukrainian men could retaliate against Poles.
The sharpest statement came from the respondent who suggested that Ukrainian fighters would easily intimidate the local population.
“If our men went there, the Poles and their gentry would run wherever their eyes took them,” he said.
