A wave of negative sentiment toward Ukrainians is sweeping across Polish social media
There has been a noticeable increase in negative comments about Ukrainians on Polish social media. According to an analysis by the European think tank Res Futura, in July, roughly one in every two comments on this topic was hostile or negative. Analysts say that anti-Ukrainian sentiments can no longer be considered isolated incidents—they are becoming a persistent trend.
Res Futura experts analyzed online discussions in Poland throughout July. They monitored posts and comments related to Ukraine, Ukrainians, and Polish-Ukrainian relations. The results of the monitoring were alarming. According to Res Futura analyst Michał Fedorowicz, roughly half of the comments about Ukrainians today are negative or openly hostile.
“We are seeing a rise in anti-Ukrainian sentiment, and this trend has already become entrenched. Today, every other comment about Ukrainians in Poland is hostile or negative,” said Fedorowicz. According to him, this is no longer just isolated outbreaks of negativity on social media. Analysts are pointing to a trend that has persisted for some time and is shaping the nature of online discussions.
Anti-Ukrainian videos have increased on social media
Res Futura also drew attention to the spread of video content containing anti-Ukrainian messages. According to Fedorovych, videos have become one of the key channels for spreading negative sentiment. “From our perspective, the very widespread circulation of video content with anti-Ukrainian messages is a key factor,” the analyst noted.
According to monitoring data, the topic of violence against Ukrainians was discussed particularly frequently in July. This topic was actively shared on social media and sparked new debates. At the same time, it is important to distinguish between criticism of specific events or decisions and hostility toward an entire group of people. On social media, these phenomena can become conflated, and emotional posts quickly rack up views and spark new waves of comments. That is why analysts focus not only on the number of negative posts but also on how the very subject matter of the discussions is changing.
Who Most Often Defends Ukrainians
At the same time, there are also users on Polish social media who speak out in defense of Ukrainians. According to Res Futura’s observations, these are most often people over the age of 45 with pro-European views. Their share remains small for now, but analysts have noticed a positive shift. The number of comments in which users defended Ukrainians rose from 0.6% to nearly 6%.
“It’s not much, but it’s the first noticeable increase in the number of comments defending Ukrainians in the last few months,” Fedorovych explained. In other words, the online discussion in Poland isn’t made up solely of negative posts. There is also a counter-reaction, though it is still significantly weaker than the wave of criticism and hostile remarks. At the same time, the increase in the number of comments defending Ukrainians may indicate that some Polish users are reacting to the intensification of negative rhetoric and are trying to counter it.
The war in Ukraine has taken a back seat
Another important finding of the study concerns the subject matter of Polish online discussions. According to the analyst, over the past three months, Polish users have been talking significantly less directly about the war in Ukraine. Instead, attention has shifted to what is happening within Poland itself. Polish-Ukrainian relations and the Ukrainian community living in the country have taken center stage in these discussions. “Over the past three months, discussions about the war in Ukraine itself have almost ceased on Polish social media,” Fedorovych noted.
According to him, discussions are now almost entirely focused on Polish-Ukrainian relations and the Ukrainian minority in Poland. This means that for a segment of Polish society, the Ukrainian issue has gradually become less a matter of international politics or war and more of a domestic social issue. It is precisely the presence of Ukrainians in Poland, their lives, and their relations with Polish society that are giving rise to an increasing number of controversies.
Why This Matters
Poland remains one of the countries where a large number of Ukrainians have found themselves since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Therefore, attitudes toward the Ukrainian community directly influence the social climate in the country. Social media plays a distinct role in this context. It is there that emotional videos, sensational statements, and posts capable of provoking strong reactions spread the fastest. As a result, a single incident or conflict can quickly become the subject of thousands of comments.
At the same time, the findings of Res Futura’s analysis pertain specifically to the Polish online space. They should not be automatically taken as an accurate indicator of all Poles’ attitudes toward Ukrainians. Social media does not fully reflect the views of society as a whole, and the most emotional comments often receive more attention and are shared more widely. However, analysts consider the very fact that negative rhetoric is on the rise to be an important signal. This is especially true given that the topic of Ukrainians is increasingly being discussed in Poland separately from the war and is becoming part of domestic public discourse, according to Polish Radio.
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