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Russia, using various tools of influence, is pursuing a policy that is aggressive towards the West. For its activities, it uses among others, information warfare tools. One of the permanent areas of the Kremlin's influence on the West is its attempts to attack the alliance between Poland and the United States and slander both countries. The strategic alliance, which is of key importance for the security of Poland and the entire eastern flank of NATO, has become one of the main targets of Moscow's information attacks in recent years.

As part of its activities, Russia promotes several main lines of narrative aimed at the USA, Poland and NATO.

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THEME # 1 RUSSIA BEING A VICTIM OF WESTERN AGGRESSION

One of the main themes pursued by the Kremlin's propaganda is an attempt to convince the public that it is the West, in particular the USA and Poland, that is aggressive towards Russia. In the Moscow media coverage, it is precisely the actions of NATO countries that forces the Kremlin to react. In this way, the Russian propaganda media explain to the public opinion, that they are taking decisions that are aggressive towards other countries, including increasing military pressure on the countries of Central Europe.

Russian media implementing this narrative often discuss military exercises conducted by NATO countries. Allied presence, including the territory of the Republic of Poland is interpreted as provoking Russia and increasing NATO's aggression towards Russia, and recently also Belarus.

In recent months, Russian propaganda has published several times materials aimed at implementing the aforementioned information warfare tactics.

Russian propaganda in recent weeks has described a report by a "Russian military magazine", which was intended to show that NATO was preparing to launch strikes against Russia. The aim of the publication was to show that Russia has the right to feel concerned about the actions of the Alliance, which - should it decide to attack Russia - would suffer a devastating defeat. In their propaganda activities, the Russian media also referred to the opinion and materials published by the Chinese press.

In another publication, Russian propaganda, citing Chinese media, suggested that NATO was preparing an attack on Russia. Experts cited in the texts argued, that "The US military is in for an unexpected surprise." The texts contain suggestions that the expected aggression of NATO countries will prove Russia's military superiority over the West.

Russian propaganda often weaves current events and uses them in actions against the West. Since the outbreak of social protests in Belarus, Russian and Belarusian propaganda has attacked Poland and the USA more and more aggressively, pointing to these countries as enemies of Russia and Belarus. In recent weeks, the propaganda of Minsk and Moscow in their activities even reached accusing PL and the US of preparing an attack on Alexander Lukashenka.

The insinuations against Poland and the US are part of the propaganda activities aimed at the West, which are aimed at creating an external enemy and justifying the increasingly aggressive attitude of Minsk and Moscow.

As part of the actions carried out against the USA and Poland, Russian propaganda also explored the topic of the arrival of American planes to Poland. Russian texts suggested that the arrival of American fighters in Poland was a provocation against Moscow. Some publications again claimed that the US and Poland were preparing an attack on Russia.

Other publications cite Internet users' entries that the Americans lie to Poland and the Polish government and suggest that the US is dragging Poland into aggression against Russia. The comments also contain accusations against the Polish Armed Forces.

The thread concerning the alleged provocations of the West against Russia is also used by the Kremlin to mask the real actions taken by Moscow. One of the portals conducting information activities for the Kremlin published a text which was an attempt to indicate, that the tightening of Russia's control over Belarus and the increase in the number of Russian troops in Belarus resulted from the need to respond to NATO's aggressive actions.

Russian propaganda eagerly comments on and quotes the foreign press whose theses are consistent with the narrative promoted by the Kremlin. Russian propaganda publicized, among others Serbian media theses to convince about the alleged aggression Russia is being subjected to. The media in Serbia argued that NATO troops, including from the USA are getting ready to attack the Crimea.

The Russian media cited the articles of the Serbian newspaper, proving the validity of their own theses, which try to show that the USA and NATO would like to attack Crimea, but did not dare because they do not have a sufficiently strong army. The propaganda accused US President Joe Biden of preparing the war.

Information activities carried out within the narrative line described above pursue goals which are typical for Russian propaganda:

- they present NATO countries, in particular the USA and Poland, as aggressive towards Russia

- they manipulate the image of West-Russia relations

- they present Russia as a victim of unfair actions and judgments by the West

- they use lies about the actions of the West to mask the aggressive stance of the Kremlin.

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THEME # 2 THE AMERICANS ARE DANGEROUS

A constant way of influencing Poland and the US by Russian propaganda is through attempts to fuel animosities and tensions between Poles and Americans. Information activities that implement the above assumptions use, inter alia, the presence of American troops in Poland. The Kremlin's narrative repeatedly attempts to show that the US troops stationed in the Republic of Poland are a de facto threat to Poland and Poles.

In the texts, the US military stationed in Poland is presented as demoralized and prone to causing fights. In one of the recent publications, the US military is presented as a threat to society. In the Russian narrative, the presence of US troops causes fear and resistance among Poles.

Pro-Russian media involved in Russia's information fight against the Polish Armed Forces publicize almost every road incident involving US soldiers. Such motives are used to fuel anti-American sentiments in Poland. The Russian side is trying to convince the Poles of the threat posed by American soldiers.

In a similar way, Russian propaganda publicizes other American incidents. The materials prepared as part of the information warfare against the Republic of Poland present the US military as the perpetrators of fights and other incidents that threaten Poles.

The materials prepared by the Kremlin are intended to show that Poles are only losing out on cooperation with the US.

In their activities, Russian internet portals also reach for lies by publishing fake events. One of the texts published by the portal conducting constant information activities against the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland published a false text aimed at fuelling aversion to US troops in Poland. The image of a doctor working at one of the Hospital Emergency Wards in Poland was used for the activities. The portals spreading Russian propaganda falsely claimed that the above-mentioned doctor refused to treat an American soldier. The reason for the refusal was - according to the propaganda narrative - the assessment of the activities of the American military in Poland. The doctor allegedly refused to help the military while accusing the US military of criminal behaviour.

The texts contained an alleged quote from a doctor in which it was indicated that the US military was carrying out criminal activities, using Poland and putting Poles at risk. Russian propaganda is constantly distributing such theses.

In its actions against Poland and Poles, the Kremlin also uses threats and attempts to intimidate. After the new US command was established in Poland, Russian propaganda indicated that the new stage of cooperation between Poland and the US meant that "Poles are the number one target". The publications contained theses aimed at causing panic among Poles and reluctance towards cooperation between Poland and the USA.

Attempts to show that Americans "use Poles", pose "a threat to Polish society" and "draw Poland into another scandal" are a constant element of Russia's actions carried out within the framework of the narrative discussed. The reasons for such publications were, for example, the Defender-2021 military exercises, which are already presented by the Russian side as a threat to Poles.

The aim of the activities being carried out is an attempt to awaken the reluctance of Polish society towards allied troops stationed in the territory of the Republic of Poland. Russian propaganda is trying to point out that Poland and Poles are losing out on the presence of Americans, and even that the USA is a threat to Polish society.

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THEME #3. FUELING TENSIONS BETWEEN POLAND AND USA

Russian propaganda also uses other threads to fuel tensions between Poland and the United States. As part of the activities aimed at the alliance between Poland and the USA, materials designed to evoke mutual dislike between Poles and Americans are constantly published.

The publications appearing in Poland concerning the alleged course of the WINTER-20 exercises were an opportunity for Russian propaganda to undermine the mutual trust of Poles and Americans. In the narrative of the Russian media, the above-mentioned exercises ended in the defeat of the Polish army, which – in the Russian message – means "the end of Poland's historic dreams" related to the alliance with the USA.

There were suggestions in publications that the WINTER-20 exercises showed that the strengthening of NATO's eastern Flank in recent years made no sense.

The Russian side often uses individual comments from Internet users to manipulate the image of the Polish public debate in its actions aimed at the Poland-US relations. A group of publications produced in this way suggested a few weeks ago that "Poles recognize" that Vladimir Putin has beaten Joe Biden. The publications related to the telephone conversation between the two presidents.

The aim of these actions was to arouse tensions between Poland and the USA and to spread theses that Poles supported the actions of Russia and Vladimir Putin.

In its actions aimed at relations between Poland and the USA, the Kremlin propaganda also uses surprising motives. In recent months, Poland has been accused of … taking action against the US currency.

The portal, permanently involved in Russia's information fight against the West, published a text arguing that Poland's increasing gold reserves meant that the Polish authorities accepted the Kremlin's policy against the US dollar. Other Russian media also took up the topic. The articles were an attempt to convince that the purchase of gold by Poland and other Central European countries results from the acceptance of these countries for the policy pursued by Russia for years, and at the same time is a proof of a deliberate hit against the American currency.

As part of fueling distrust between the Polish and American military, Russian propaganda argued that “Poland values Russian planes higher” than American ones. Once again, the propaganda texts were written based on the comments of individual Internet users.

In texts published on Russian portals, one could find suggestions that Poles appreciate the Russian MiGs more than the American F-16s. In one of the texts there was an indication that American planes "have become useless". Aviation exercises that took place in Poland were the pretext for the publication. In comments after the end of the maneuvers, the Russian media promoted a message aimed at weakening military cooperation between Poland and the USA.

Russian actions aimed at the alliance between Poland and the USA often resort to attempts to ridicule Poland's cooperation with the United States. Poland is systematically presented as an American "vassal" used by the administration in Washington.

In one of the articles devoted to Poland, one could read that the policy of the Polish authorities was "subservient to the USA", and that Poland always relied on "bad partners in American policy".

The text was also an attempt to show that Poland is not treated seriously by the USA, and that its importance for the United States is declining.

For many weeks, Russian propaganda used the topic of political change in the USA to fuel tension between Poland and the new US administration.

Stanisław Stremidłowski, who used to write propaganda texts compatible with the Kremlin's line, published a number of materials fueling distrust between Poland and the USA. In one of the texts he suggested that the Polish authorities and the new US administration are doomed to conflicts. The reason is to be, among others attitude towards Russia. A propagandist suggested that Polish politics is permeated with "Russophobia". In the Kremlin's propaganda narrative, the new US administration will not want to support the "policy of total confrontation with Moscow," so Poland will cease to be such an important ally for the USA. Stremidłowski's text was one of his many publications fueling animosity between the USA and Poland. The material suggested that Poland is currently of marginal importance to the United States.

In other publications, the propaganda media argued that Poland, after the political changes, cannot count on strong ties with the USA. The symbol of the change in relation to the Republic of Poland was to be speculation in the media as to whether Joe Biden would visit Poland during his first visit to Europe.

The texts quoted comments from Internet users who argued that relations between Poland and the USA would be strong only after the change of the government of the Republic of Poland. These texts are a continuation of the efforts of Russian propaganda, which for many weeks tried to fuel alleged disputes between Poland and the new administration in the USA.

As part of the Russian propaganda activities, the opinions of the Polish society are manipulated. The propaganda media implementing the assumptions of the Kremlin's information struggle with the West published comments on the survey presented on one of the Polish news websites. More than half of the respondents indicated in the survey that they see a direct threat from Russia to Poland's security.

Discussing the results of the poll, Russian propaganda indicates instead that Poles recognize that "the threat posed by the USA and Ukraine is greater than that posed by Russia." In support of their thesis, the propaganda media quoted individual comments from Internet users. A political scientist known for spreading Russian propaganda was also quoted as saying that Poles "increasingly perceive Ukrainians as enemies." The quote was to authenticate the message of propaganda about the survey in question.

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The examples of actions described above build lines of narrative typical of Kremlin propaganda aimed at relations between Poland and the USA. Russian propaganda carries out constant activities aimed at:

- fueling tensions between Poland and the United States,

- promoting anti-American content in Poland,

- publishing a manipulated image of Poland and the USA,

- manipulating West-Russia relations by accusing the USA and Poland of aggression towards Russia,

- manipulating the image of relations between Poland and the USA,

- frightening Poles with the American presence on the territory of the Republic of Poland.

The strategic alliance between Poland and the United States is one of the main areas of Russia's informational influence on Poland. The Kremlin's strategic goal is to cause American interests to withdraw from Central Europe. Russia's information activities are subordinated to an aggressive policy towards the West.

Spokesman for Poland’s Minister-Special Services Coordinator