A Polish government spokesperson for information security, Stanisław Żaryn, contends that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is spreading misinformation to cast Poland and Western nations as threats. In a post on X, Żaryn argues that Lukashenko uses deceptive narratives to frame the West as an aggressor and hints at negotiating with Western partners to influence migrant flows at the Belarus border.
Additional Allegations From Lukashenko
The Polish Foreign Affairs Minister, in the Prime Minister’s Office, criticized Lukashenko for alleging that neighboring EU countries pushed the bodies of dead migrants back into Belarus. The minister argues these claims are meant to depict Western policies as cruel while deflecting responsibility away from Minsk.
The Belarusian leader has also described Polish citizens as aggressors, accusing them of causing deaths among migrants at the frontier. These claims circulated as notes from Minsk were shared by the Polish government’s communications team.
Observers note Lukashenko casts the border crisis as a consequence of the Ukraine conflict and EU sanctions on Belarus. He positions the border situation as a spillover of broader geopolitical tensions, recalling a hybrid border operation that began in 2021.
In a gesture toward reconciliation, Lukashenko reportedly signaled willingness to engage with Western partners, including Poland. He implied that a political shift could restore neighborly relations, even after rough periods between Minsk and Warsaw.
Escalation of Minsk’s Information Campaign
Żaryn warned that Belarusian propaganda has intensified, aiming to destabilize Poland by spreading aggressive narratives about migrants and border policies. Part of this effort includes claims that Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have pursued discriminatory actions against refugees at the border, with Minsk allegedly creating a website to document alleged crimes by these countries since mid-2021.
Polish officials stress that the regime’s messaging seems designed to sway public opinion and steer future policy. The Deputy Minister-Coordinator of Poland’s Secret Services anticipates more propaganda campaigns and destabilizing activities near the border, suggesting coordinated signals from Minsk and Moscow about reestablishing ties with Poland.
Analysts view the tactic as both political and psychological, aiming to pressure the next Polish government to soften its stance toward Russia and Belarus and to reduce support for Ukraine. The government’s liaison for security in the information space underscored these concerns in a public briefing. [Citation: Polish security briefings, 2025]
During that period, Belarusian and Russian signals were seen as attempts to shape policy debates in Poland and test the resilience of Poland’s border controls and Western alliances. Observers emphasized that the broader objective appears to be a reassessment of Poland’s posture toward Moscow and Minsk and a possible shift in aid policies toward Ukraine. [Attribution: regional analysts, 2025]
This moment represented another chapter in the ongoing clash surrounding Ukraine, a conflict with wide regional implications and continued debates over border security, humanitarian responsibilities, and alliance commitments. [Source note: regional security assessments, 2025]