A Russian hybrid warfare operation targeting Poland has been uncovered, using artificial intelligence to generate fake video personas of Polish soldiers spreading anti-Ukraine, anti-European Union and anti-government narratives, according to fact-checking platform Demagog.
The campaign, active across YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, involved a network of accounts under names such as Głos polskich żołnierzy, Głos wojska and Polska defensywa, investigators said. The AI-generated characters appeared in interview-style videos, falsely presented as current or former members of the Polish armed forces.
AI-Powered Disinformation Operation
Demagog’s investigation identified the coordinated use of generative AI and deepfake technology to produce and distribute content designed to stoke ethnic tensions. The operation exploited historical grievances related to the Volhynia tragedy and spread false claims about crime rates among Ukrainian refugees in Poland, despite official data showing such offenses account for no more than 1–2% of all recorded crime.
Researchers noted that the AI models used in the campaign were trained on Russian-language datasets, helping mask Moscow’s authorship while enabling large-scale, automated content production. The approach marks a qualitative escalation in Kremlin propaganda, the platform said, complicating traditional fact-checking and monitoring mechanisms.
Targeting Vulnerable Groups
The disinformation campaign specifically targeted younger audiences in economically depressed regions of Poland, where digital literacy levels are lower and susceptibility to fake narratives higher. More than 77% of Polish citizens encounter disinformation regularly, Demagog reported, and Russia’s coordinated bot networks and AI-generated influencers were amplifying anti-government and anti-migrant sentiment among these groups.
Pro-Kremlin trolls and AI-driven accounts pushed a dual narrative: tying anti-Ukraine rhetoric with criticism of the European Union and the current Polish government. The aim, analysts concluded, was not merely to spread anti-Ukraine views but to systematically undermine strategic relations between Warsaw and Kyiv, while fueling Euroscepticism and radical domestic opposition.
Calls for Stronger Countermeasures
The investigation exposed significant gaps in Poland’s ability to counter advanced hybrid threats. State mechanisms were found to be slow and ill-equipped to detect or respond to AI-generated content. Digital platforms also lagged in removing fake profiles and deepfake videos, creating what Demagog described as a critical vulnerability window.
Fact-checkers and security experts urged the introduction of mandatory AI-content labeling, stricter platform accountability and improved interagency coordination at both EU and NATO levels. Without urgent action, analysts warned, Poland would remain a priority target for evolving Russian hybrid attacks.
The full findings were published by Konkret24 and other Polish media outlets, highlighting the growing sophistication of Moscow’s information warfare operations.
