The pro-Kremlin media in Russia warmly received the opposition demonstration led by Tusk in Warsaw. Valery Masterov, in an extensive article titled ‘Authorities Feared Protest March in Warsaw,’ published in ‘Niezavisimaya Gazeta,’ emphatically states that the capital of Poland ‘has become the center of the largest anti-government demonstration since 2015.’ He also claims that it has acquired an ‘international dimension’ – writes Prof. Piotr Grochmalski. You can read the entire text in Tuesday’s ‘Gazeta Polska Codziennie.’
It is astonishing to witness the enthusiasm of a journalist who is assigned to shape a negative image of Poland among Russians. Let us recall that during the missile incident, the same author called for a coup in the Polish army. And now, with undisguised satisfaction, he tries to suggest to Russians that Polish support for Ukraine is merely a whim of the Law and Justice government. He states that ‘the mobilization of protesters was facilitated by the law signed by President Andrzej Duda on examining Russian influences on Polish politicians.’
In another article by the same author from May 1st, with the subtitle ‘Opposition Leader Announces Overthrowing the Current Government in Upcoming Autumn Elections,’ this specialist in information warfare against Poland claims that allegedly ‘the intentions of the initiators of the law were perceived unequivocally: the commission is not being established to pursue Russian agents, but to eliminate the leader of the ruling party, Tusk, from the political life.’ It is astonishing how determined the Kremlin, through the pen of its propagandist, tries to impose such a narrative. It has been consistent for a long time.
The same author states in an article from May 28th that ‘Tusk, who led the Council of Ministers before being elected President of the European Council in 2014, tried to pragmatically build relations with Russia.’ This astonishing defense of the credibility of a man whom Putin – the only leader in the world – proposed to participate in the partitioning of Ukraine – is supposed to counter Masterov’s statement in the later part of the article, illustrating the alleged delusions of PiS, that ‘according to the current authorities, Tusk pursued a pro-Russian policy, which is supposedly evidenced by his ‘subordination to Moscow’ during the investigation into the causes of the plane crash of President Lech Kaczynski near Smolensk on April 10, 2010. That is why he must face such a commission.’
One of the authors leading the brutal information warfare against Poland clearly supports Tusk’s narrative because he does not mention that as part of that reset in relations with Russia, Warsaw dismantled its army in the East, started playing against Kyiv with Moscow, and even opened up to shocking cooperation with Russian services. As part of these actions, the FSB, with Tusk’s government’s consent, conducted a joint operation with the ABW, during which they infiltrated our counterintelligence. An FSB officer was even allowed to participate in operational activities in the territory of the Republic of Poland. This series of Masterov’s articles not only serves as a clear signal to Donald Tusk coming from the Kremlin but also aims to build a false narrative about the attitudes of Poles towards Russia. It encourages collaboration.
The entire text by Prof. Piotr Grochmalski in the Tuesday edition of 'Gazeta Polska Codziennie' - on June 6th. Subscriptions and e-editions are available here.