Number of attacks on Ukrainians in Poland has risen by approximately 30%, - Ambassador Bondar
Poland is seeing an increase in the number of attacks and other acts of aggression against Ukrainians. According to police data, there have already been 180 such incidents in the first half of 2026, and the overall figure has risen by approximately 30%.
According to Censor.NET, Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bondar, said this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
"We have statistics from the police indicating that in 2024, there were 267 incidents of attacks on Ukrainians, or acts of aggression. In 2025, there were 275. In the first half of 2026, there were already 180. So, we are indeed seeing an increase of about 30 percent," the diplomat said.
At the same time, Bondar emphasized that when evaluating these statistics, it is necessary to take into account changes in Polish legislation and practices regarding the classification and recording of offenses.
According to him, actions that might previously have been classified as ordinary hooliganism or insults are now more often considered in light of a motive of ethnic hatred. This entails stricter penalties, but at the same time affects the statistics.
"The data presented reflects statistics on crimes or offenses committed on national grounds. Data from the Polish Prosecutor’s Office also indicates that 182 pretrial proceedings concerning these specific crimes were ongoing from January through June 2026," the ambassador clarified.
Bondar also noted that incidents of aggression against Ukrainians are increasingly coming to light thanks to videos that victims or witnesses post on social media.
According to him, on the one hand, this heightens the sense of danger among other Ukrainians, and on the other, it draws public attention and prompts the relevant authorities to respond more quickly to such incidents.
