Reported hate crimes against Ukrainians in Poland up 30% this year
Police received 180 reports in the first half of 2026, and researchers said Russian disinformation and political tensions are amplifying anti-Ukrainian hostility.
- On Friday, July 17, 2026, police data reported by Rzeczpospolita showed 180 hate crime reports against Ukrainians in the first half of 2026, a 30% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
- Anti-Ukrainian rhetoric from opposition parties, including Confederation and Law and Justice , has fueled growing negative sentiment, while researchers warn Russian disinformation campaigns actively seek to divide Poland and Ukraine.
- In Bielsko-Biała, a man was detained last week for shouting xenophobic obscenities at Ukrainian children, while two far-right activists were charged earlier this month for confronting a Ukrainian business owner.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the bus incident "disgusting," while Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrij Sybiha, urged "Polish politicians to stop inciting hatred against Ukrainians" amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between Kyiv and Warsaw.
- Sociologist Jacek Kucharczyk warned that the "toxic atmosphere" is spreading from political rhetoric into real-life consequences, noting actual incident figures are likely higher because many victims fear reporting crimes to police.
15 Articles
15 Articles
In Poland, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of hate crimes reported against Ukrainian citizens.
Who is fueling anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland? Poland has recorded a rapid increase in hate crimes against Ukrainian citizens. In the first six months of 2026 alone, the number of such incidents jumped by more than 30%. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing Rzeczpospolita. Alarming statistics from Polish police According to law enforcement, 180 reports of "hate speech" and hate crimes against Ukrainians were registered in Poland in the fi…
Anti-Ukrainian attacks surge in Poland
Police have recorded a 30% rise in complaints in the first half of 2026, Rzeczpospolita has reported Police in Poland have recorded a sharp rise in hate crime complaints from Ukrainians, according to national newspaper Rzeczpospolita. Ukrainians have increasingly reported physical assaults, verbal abuse, and online harassment, the outlet said. Ukrainians filed 180 hate crime...
Reported hate crimes against Ukrainians in Poland up 30% this year
Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. The number of reported hate crimes against Ukrainians in Poland was 30% higher in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2025, newly reporte…
In Poland, 180 reports of hate crimes against Ukrainian citizens were registered in the first half of 2026. If the current trend continues, by the end of the year the number of such applications could rise to about 360, more than 30% higher than last year's figure.
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