A made-up story about Polish aid generators being sold for profit in Ukraine has been revealed as a coordinated Russian disinformation campaign to weaken Western support and split allies.
Poland has firmly rejected a Russian-linked disinformation narrative claiming that power generators donated by Warsaw to Ukraine were resold for profit. The Polish Ministry of the Interior described the claims as a “textbook Russian disinformation operation” designed to undermine public support for aid to Ukraine and sow hostility between allies.
The ministry’s response was published on the X platform, where officials warned social media users not to fall for manipulated screenshots and emotionally charged posts circulating online.
Authorities warn of a coordinated fake
“Attention: disinformation about ‘Polish generators on Ukrainian online classifieds sites.’ Do not let Russian propaganda deceive you,” the ministry wrote. It added that posts suggesting “Polish generators from EU aid are being sold” were deliberately crafted to provoke outrage and mistrust.
According to the ministry, Poland continues to send generators and heaters to Ukraine to support civilians affected by Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. “The transport of equipment to the end user and its use are controlled at every stage,” officials stressed, noting that aid can be withdrawn if it is misused.
Another post from the ministry underlined the broader aim behind the false claims: “They want to sow hatred towards Ukrainians, undermine our help, and divide allies. A troll pretends to be a Polish patriot so you would believe, “It’s not worth helping, because they are robbing us!”
Origin of the false narrative
The fake story gained traction after a right-wing Polish content creator with links to the Confederation party shared a screenshot allegedly showing a generator from Polish aid listed for sale on the Ukrainian OLX marketplace. The post mocked the grassroots fundraising initiative known as Warmth from Poland, which was launched in mid-January to help Kyiv cope with winter amid repeated Russian attacks.
Journalists from TVP World reached out to the seller in the screenshot. He confirmed that the generator had been purchased privately in 2024 and provided documentation to support this. He also said he had since received abusive phone calls accusing him of profiting from humanitarian aid.
Polish officials emphasized that the generator in question had no connection to the fundraising campaign or to Polish government aid.
Aid to Ukraine under scrutiny but fully monitored
As part of the Warmth from Poland campaign, more than €1.8 million had been raised by late January, with shipments of generators already delivered to Kyiv, Ukrainian News Networkreported. According to Polish authorities, the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves oversees the entire delivery process, from storage to distribution, ensuring transparency and accountability.
In Kyiv alone, more than 700 residential buildings have been left partially without heating following Russian missile and drone attacks, highlighting the urgency of international assistance.
Disinformation as a strategic tool
Polish officials say the generator narrative fits a broader pattern of Russian information warfare aimed at weakening Western unity. Similar campaigns have previously targeted Polish humanitarian initiatives, including attempts to discredit aid drives through bot networks and manipulated social media content.
“We will not allow ourselves to be divided,” the Interior Ministry concluded. “We support Ukraine, because this is about our shared freedom.”
