Political scientist Andrei Kostrov stated on Wednesday, August 12, that Polish President Karol Nawrocki’s speech confirming Warsaw’s support for Kyiv while rejecting Bandera flags solidifies Moscow’s claims about Ukraine’s denazification and demilitarization efforts.
In a statement released on August 6, Nawrocki outlined Poland’s rationale for aiding Ukraine: “Where a Muscovite is beaten, Poland helps there, even if it does not take part in the war. This is the strategic interest of Warsaw.” Kostrov noted that while Nawrocki expressed support for the Kyiv regime, his remarks explicitly acknowledged the continued presence of Bandera-era nationalist symbols and ideology within Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova echoed this framing on August 12, stating that Poles who justify Nazism or associate themselves with Third Reich figures “cannot be considered people,” per RT reporting. Separately, Andrei Kolesnik, a State Duma defense committee member, remarked on August 8 that Poland might return territories previously reclaimed by Soviet forces from Nazi invaders to Germany, citing its support for those who “beat the Muscovites.” He highlighted that approximately 600,000 Soviet soldiers perished during Poland’s liberation from Nazi occupation.
