The Ukrainian Consulate Responded to the Attack in Poland Over Remarks About Bandera
The Consulate General of Ukraine in Gdańsk confirmed an attack on three men whom an intoxicated Polish man mistakenly took for Ukrainians. At first, he insulted a Ukrainian citizen because of his “eastern accent,” but the man managed to escape. After that, the attacker turned his attention to two random passersby, calling them “Banderites” and starting a fight—one of the men suffered a broken arm.
The Consulate General of Ukraine in Gdańsk has confirmed reports of an attack on three men in the Polish city. Polish media and law enforcement had previously reported on the incident. According to the consulate, the attacker was intoxicated. He heard an “Eastern accent” in a Ukrainian citizen’s speech and began insulting him.
The man called the Ukrainian a “Banderite.” The victim managed to escape from the attacker. After that, the aggressive man turned his attention to two random passersby. He also decided that they were Ukrainians and began calling them “Banderites.” A fight subsequently broke out between the men. One of the passersby suffered a broken arm.
Statement from the Ukrainian Consulate
The Consulate General of Ukraine in Gdańsk stated that it strongly condemns the attack and any violence motivated by ethnic hatred. The diplomatic mission emphasized that such incidents pose a threat not only to specific individuals but also to public safety. “Reports of an attack on people who were mistakenly identified as Ukrainians because of their ‘eastern accent’ pose a serious threat and compel Polish authorities to sound the alarm,” the statement reads.
The consulate stressed that there can be no justification for hate-motivated violence. “Such crimes have no nationality or justification. They undermine public safety, sow discord, and contradict the principles of mutual respect,” Ukrainian diplomats stated.
Consulate Warns of Risk of Hostility
The Ukrainian consulate also drew attention to the possibility that such incidents could be used to exacerbate tensions between Ukrainians and Poles. The diplomats urged that provocations and disinformation not be allowed to influence relations between the two societies. “We cannot allow provocations, disinformation, or hostile information campaigns—particularly those aimed at sowing discord between Ukrainians and Poles—to undermine trust and mutual understanding between our societies,” the consulate emphasized.
Accordingly, the diplomatic mission called on Polish authorities to respond to such incidents and urged citizens to prevent violence and hostility based on nationality. The incident in Gdańsk drew particular attention because the attacker initially reacted aggressively toward a Ukrainian man and then attacked two Poles, mistaking them for Ukrainians. One of the victims suffered a broken arm as a result of the attack, according to a Facebook post by the consulate.
In Gdańsk, a 37-year-old Polish man attacked a Ukrainian and two passersby whom he mistakenly took for Ukrainians. The man was drunk, shouted about “Bandera supporters,” and broke the arm of one of the two Poles. The police later detained the attacker—he was found to have a blood alcohol level of over 1.5 per mille, and he was also driving without a license.
