A story of two nations.
Because the bilateral relations between neighboring international locations, Poland and Ukraine, deteriorate, the state of affairs of 1,5 million Ukrainian long-term financial migrants and 1 million warfare refugees in Poland is turning into ever extra dramatic.
(Poland has 37 million individuals, so Ukrainians are virtually 7% of the inhabitants.)
Even when UN numbers are appropriate and solely 31% of Ukrainian refugees are on welfare, that’s nonetheless round 300,000.
Poland prolonged a heat welcome to over one million Ukrainian refugees and migrants after the beginning of the warfare in 2022.
Again then, with polls displaying near-universal public assist for this coverage (round 94%).
By now, attitudes have shifted amid financial pressures and historic disputes, after Ukraine honored Nazi collaborators who massacred Poles in WW2.
Now, assist for accepting Ukrainian refugees dropped immensely, and, for the primary time, opposition is exceeding assist.
Polish Police knowledge exhibits a transparent spike in anti-Ukrainian incidents, from verbal abuse to bodily assaults.
One other hate assault on 13-year-old Ukrainian kids in Poland, this time in Legnica, merely for talking Ukrainian.
This time, the alleged attacker was a Polish girl.
She approached the youngsters together with her personal kids and warned them in opposition to talking Ukrainian in Poland.… pic.twitter.com/RdKts1XIaa
— Marta Havryshko (@HavryshkoMarta) July 21, 2026
Reuters reported:
“Police acquired 180 studies of alleged hate crimes in opposition to Ukrainian residents within the first half of the 12 months, a rise of greater than 30%.
The variety of nationality-motivated assaults in Poland is steadily growing, in accordance with knowledge supplied to the Polish press by the Nationwide Police Headquarters.”
Assault on Ukrainian youngsters causes a stir in Poland
A gaggle of Ukrainian youngsters have been severely crushed in Warsaw by unknown individuals. One of many victims suffered a damaged nostril, one other was thrown off a bridge, and one other underwent surgical procedure for head accidents. Polish police have… pic.twitter.com/A8IjvzPGv2
— UkrMedia (@UkrMediaNews) May 16, 2026
As a lot as 180 incidents of this type have been reported to Polish police within the first half of 2026.
“In 2024, Ukrainians dwelling in Poland filed 267 studies of alleged hate crimes. In 2025, that quantity rose to 275. The 180 studies filed within the first half of 2026 already characterize a rise of greater than 30% in contrast with the identical interval final 12 months, and practically 35% in contrast with 2024.”
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