The incident not only poses a major threat to Poland’s territorial security but is also part of a broader information campaign targeting the Western world’s unity and trust in democratic institutions.

For this reason, the Council for Resilience calls for special attention to be paid to the false narratives, disseminated mostly online, that are part of Russia’s hybrid warfare against Poland and the entire Western democratic community with its key institutions: the EU and NATO.

Let us not be deceived

Just a few hours after the incident, Russia and Belarus began to spread contradictory and misleading narratives: the Kremlin’s responsibility was denied; attempts were made to shift the blame onto Ukraine; it was suggested that the drones had allegedly “veered off course”; and even the existence of evidence for the attack was questioned. Such measures are indented to sow doubt and confusion, and to undermine citizens’ trust in the state and our allies. The aim is to disperse the Russian Federation’s responsibility, arouse fears and divisions within the Euro-Atlantic community, and cause Western aid to Ukraine to stop as the country battles against the Russian aggressor.

Let us not be intimidated

Yesterday’s incident provoked strong emotions among the Polish public—a natural reaction to a threat. When faced with a crisis situation, our anger and fears become a weapon in the hands of our opponents. Emotional online posts, phone calls, and messages sent to our family and friends, while motivated by concern and goodwill, only stoke chaos and a sense of threat.

We call on Poles not to be deceived by false messages, to critically evaluate sources of information, and to follow reliable news outlets. Information warfare is waged alongside military aggression, and its consequences can be just as dangerous to our security. Let us remember this when reading news reports, especially on social media.

Please be prudent and act responsibly when expressing your views, especially online. We believe that our self-restraint and calmness will ease social tension, which affects primarily those most vulnerable, in particular our children and their mental health, and will allow the services tasked with fighting conventional threats to act more effectively.

Let us not be taken advantage of

We call on Poles to respond consciously to disinformation attempts: before you share any piece of information—verify its source, follow trustworthy news outlets, consult fact-checking websites, and avoid sharing unverified content on social media. In times of crisis, we encourage you to rely primarily on messages coming from state institutions and trustworthy news outlets. Only by using information consciously and responsibly can we counteract disinformation, which is a weapon that accompanies military aggression.

Let us remember that spreading narratives denying Russian perpetration of the attack and shifting the responsibility to Ukraine may constitute a crime under Article 130 of the Polish Criminal Code, a part of which reads that whoever acts on behalf of a foreign intelligence service by spreading disinformation intended to cause serious disruptions in the political system of the Republic of Poland or leading a public authority body to take or refrain from taking certain action is subject to imprisonment for not less than eight years.

Let us stay united

We must not let Russia achieve what it failed to achieve with its drones—divisions and chaos in our society. We can defeat the enemy only when united in our common interest. The Kremlin wants us to doubt in our institutions, quarrel with our allies, and turn our backs on Ukrainians, who also fight for our security. That is why it is so important for each of us to consciously reject false narratives: not to share unverified content, to trust only reliable sources, and to critically evaluate online content. Only together, by staying united and using information responsibly, will we be able to strip Russia of its weapons of lies and manipulation.

Our NATO and EU allies have unequivocally confirmed their solidarity with Poland. It is a token of the strength of our alliances and joint action to ensure collective security. Today, information solidarity is as important as military solidarity. Faced with Russian and Belarusian propaganda campaigns, we must consistently support efforts to promote truth, collective resilience, and to strengthen societies against manipulation.

We call on the international community, our partners in the fight against disinformation, on government institutions and non-governmental organisations: let us stand up together to this unprecedented attempt to undermine our solidarity and determination to help Ukraine and defend our common democratic values.