Pro-Russian forces in Poland discrediting government official of Ukrainian origin

Russia and pro-Russian forces in Poland have started a campaign to discredit Andrzej Szeptycki, a well-known Polish political scientist recently appointed Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, who is of Polish-Ukrainian origin.

In a comment to an Ukrinform correspondent, he denied the false and manipulative messages that are being spread about him on social media and pro-Russian Polish sites.

"In particular, a message on Telegram, which says that I was in favor of installing a memorial plaque to 'Banderivites' is not true. I was in favor of restoring the existing plaque on Mount Monastyr," Szeptycki told the Ukrinform correspondent.

At the same time, an example of manipulation is a story posted on a Polish site, which says that his appointment to the post of deputy minister means "even greater Ukrainization of Polish universities and extraordinary privileges for Ukrainians."

According to Szeptycki, the main problem of these messages is that they sow enmity between Poland and Ukraine and incite hatred towards him personally: "Oh God, a Ukrainian in the Polish government - what a horror!"

"These trolls are trying to create disgust for the new government by using old historical problems. They want to sow confusion and divide the Polish and Ukrainian peoples. Their leaders are afraid that representatives of the national minority, such as myself, are part of the Polish government," he said.

In addition, Szeptycki reported that since his appointment to a position in the Polish government, he had received several letters with threats.

These information actions are aimed at torpedoing the Polish-Ukrainian rapprochement, trying to compromise people who are in favor of intensifying a friendly dialogue between Warsaw and Kyiv, which is against the interests of the Kremlin.

Russian propaganda earlier used pro-Russian politicians in Romania to create inter-religious conflicts in Bukovyna.

Yuriy Banakhevych, Andriy Olenin