Daryna Sydorenko, Director of Research at the Transatlantic Dialogue Center, was featured in New Eastern Europe in the article “From social media to politics: Poland’s Ukraine debate”.
In the article, Daryna commented on how the public debate around Ukrainians in Poland has become increasingly politicized. Drawing on her broader work monitoring anti-Ukrainian hate speech, disinformation, and incidents of violence in Poland, she explained that the context of Ukrainians’ presence in the country has changed significantly over the past few years.
Daryna noted a visible spike in negative comments about Ukrainians across Facebook, TikTok, Telegram, and even LinkedIn. These narratives often move between anonymous social media accounts, Telegram channels, political figures, and mainstream media — gradually shaping broader public perceptions.
One of the key tendencies she highlighted is the way seemingly isolated stories about Ukrainians are framed to reinforce wider hostile narratives. For example, media coverage may disproportionately emphasize a suspect’s Ukrainian nationality or use sensationalist headlines that associate Ukrainians with crime, ingratitude, or threats to Polish society.
Daryna also pointed to the role of Polish-language Telegram channels in amplifying such messages. Although Telegram is not the dominant platform in Poland, it serves as an unregulated space where marginal ideas can move closer to the mainstream. One of the most widespread narratives presents Ukrainians as criminals and a danger to Poland.
Historical themes are also being instrumentalized. Narratives related to Volhynia, the UPA, and “Banderites” are increasingly combined with contemporary stories about Ukrainians in Poland, creating emotional associations between past violence and today’s Ukrainian community.
Daryna stressed that journalists have a particular responsibility in this environment. While important stories should be covered, media outlets must be aware of how headlines, framing, and selective emphasis can unintentionally strengthen hateful narratives.
“It is very important for journalists to monitor not only the Russian propaganda space, but also to make sure that they themselves do not become amplifiers of these thoughts, moods and frameworks,” Daryna Sydorenko told New Eastern Europe.
Lee el artículo completo en New Eastern Europe.