Who coordinates pro-Russian anti-war movements? Checking

In cooperation with the analysts of the Slovak department GLOBSEC and Hungarian Political Capital and thanks to the support of the Open Information Partnership we analysed the pro-Russian anti-war movements in the information space of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. We describe their narratives and connections, present the characters of activists and explain how the Kremlin uses pacifist ideas to legitimize armed aggression against Ukraine. We besides show how the far right works with left-wing organizations in spreading Russian propaganda.

When in March 2021 We revealed The link between the Russian propaganda apparatus and the disinformation related to COVID-19 and we alerted that conspiracy environments could become the rationale for false narratives inspired by the Kremlin (such as it's happened before. in the USA), the audience's reactions were very conservative. specified information was seen as anti-Russian paranoia, nevertheless – as We showed After the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022 – Polish anti-covid movement truly rapidly became anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western. Over the past 2 and a half years, a large deal has been said and written about the disinformation inspired by the Kremlin, agents were revealed, GRU officers were arrested, channels and ways of recruiting coworkers were analysed, conferences were organized and podcasts were created. At the same time, “anti-war” movements were formed in almost all of Europe, whose rhetoric and slogans, as well as their leaders' profiles, seemed to be universal. We do not undertake moral or political evaluation of these organisations, and the intent of our investigation was to describe the scale of their activities, activities of a transnational nature and links to the communicative line of propaganda of the Russian Federation.

Findings

• Pro-Russian anti-war movements operate in the full spectrum of the European political scene – from the ruling parties through the opposition to tiny ppolitical articles and social movements;
• Actually utilized anti-war rhetoric in any countries (such as Slovakia or Hungary) translates into electoral successes;
• Almost all identified anti-war movements had direct or indirect links with representatives of the Russian Federation;
• In all countries, a very akin set of narratives is used, each based on the same propaganda foundation, extended by narratives entering local conditions;
  
• Anti-war movements from the Visegrad Group (Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic), Germany and to a lesser degree Bulgaria and Romania cooperate, keep close contacts, participate in and advance each another in their events;
  
• The left-wing and utmost right-wing movements cooperate without hindrance as long as they advance convergent pro-Russian narratives.
  

What are anti-war movements?

When writing about the "anti-war movements", we will mention to Polish and abroad political organizations and parties who argue Ukraine's support in the defence war with Russia and call for an immediate cessation of the war, while sympathizing with the Russian Federation. It should be noted that the pacifist thought itself, which is the basis of their activities, is undoubtedly right. However, the characteristic feature of the anti-war movements analysed is the usage of pacifism to advance pro-Russian or converging attitudes with Kremlin's abroad policy.

The characteristic elements of pro-Russian anti-war rhetoric are:

• Encouraging the sense of danger in the recipients;
• Referring to emotions;
• equalising the guilt of the aggressor and the victims, or misrepresenting the aggressor as a actual sacrifice;
• Enriching the pacifist transmission of the anti-Western element.

Groups and people utilizing anti-war rhetoric frequently indicate that the real origins of the conflict in Ukraine date back to the times of the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, and that Ukraine itself is guilty of war. Only the first part of this message is true, as in 2014, dissatisfied with the overthrow of the pro-Russian authorities, Russia utilized the chaos prevailing in Ukraine to annex Crimea and parts of east Ukraine. That's erstwhile the Russians managed to accomplish their goals. The situation in the region was effectively destabilised for 8 consecutive years until a full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Regardless of the many conspiracy theories attributing to the Western organization of the Revolution of Dignity and the alleged secret efforts to destabilise the Russian Federation, the fact remains that since 2014, Russia has invaded twice the territory of independent Ukraine, causing the first war in Europe in the 21st century.

Anti-war movements alternately reject, ignore or accept this fact, pointing to the request for an immediate interruption of the war. However, on this basis, their unconditional pacifism ends, as in all communicative the cost of peace is to be the Ukrainian's surrender of part of its territory to Russia and the fulfillment of a number of Russian demands. Pro-Russian anti-war organizations – unlike classical pacifist movements – are not on the side of the victim, but are more or little veiled in support of the aggressor.

Peace is simply a conventional weapon

Using pacifist ideas by Russians is nothing new. Already in the late 1940s, the russian Union began building an global network of anti-war organizations, forming the russian Peace Committee. In 1948, in Wroclaw was organized World Intellectual legislature in the Defence of Peace. In 1950 the Soviets called World Peace CouncilThat throughout the Cold War coordinated anti-war movements outside the USSR. All of these initiatives had small to do with spontaneous pacifist actions, were financed and centrally controlled by Moscow, with the task of branding all of Western militarist attitudes while ignoring akin actions of the another party.

Erik Lipinski, planet Peace Council Brochure, 1951.

From the very beginning, the establishment of the planet Peace Council was to spread narratives supporting Kremlin policy. In 1950, the Council issued Stockholm Appeal, calling for a global ban on the production of atomic weapons, and conducted a gigantic promotion campaign. According to any sources, about 500 million people signed it. At the same time, the USSR developed its own atomic weapons. As it rapidly turned out, the Appeal was simply an effort to slow down the construction of the western atomic potential, and the Soviets abandoned the task as shortly as they created their own arsenal.

Moscow's efforts to build, support or simply exploit existing anti-war movements continued throughout the Cold War and are inactive an effective tool to support influence operations in Western countries.

War is bad, but...

Pacificist statements of anti-war movements (for example, utilized throughout the analysed password area “Peace – YES, War – NO”) always go hand in hand with a number of others – anti-Western or fear-provoking. Not all of them were present in the information spaces of each of the 4 countries surveyed, but they turned out to be popular and universal throughout the region under consideration.

This isn't our war.

This is simply a popular slogan, in Poland utilized first by Kamrat countrymen, seems to be the most universal, occurring in all the countries analysed and besides in Germany (in the form of the hashtag #nichtunserkrieg).

PRA propaganda banner

Supported by slogans ‘Not for Ukraine’ and “Let us not go to this war” urges Ukraine to halt supporting Russia. According to this narrative, providing military support fighting Ukraine is tantamount to the country's direct commitment to conflict, which could besides carry war activities into its territory. straight from this thought comes another popular slogans specified as “Today our tanks, next day our children” and “Family for Peace” (the second is especially utilized in marches, mainly in Slovakia and the Czech Republic). Anti-war movements are trying to convince the audience that the only way to avoid an open war between Europe and the United States and Russia is to immediately halt support for Ukraine.

NATO go home!

The primary component of the transmission of anti-war movements is anti-Western rhetoric. It is usually a Russian propaganda carbon that blames the West (sometimes unjustly) for geopolitical destabilisation in various regions of the world. Popular slogans "Stop Americanization" is ‘NATO go home’ relate mainly to the country's political dependence on the United States.

PRA propaganda banner, stop-Americanization.pl

Anti-war movements effort to represent the US as a actual occupier of Central and east Europe, which through soft power and various forms of political, military and economical force he tries to vassalize Poland, Slovakia or Hungary. This communicative highlights how much the United States gains in the region at the expense of smaller countries, but it always ignores the fact that the benefits are usually mutual, and relations are not based solely on economical dominance, but besides on strategical partnerships and alliances. Password "Let us not shed blood for the murmuring interests of politicians, bankers and corporations" It is based on the presumption that the war in Ukraine from the beginning serves primarily the enrichment of Western elites. While certain economical benefits for Western economies (which, for example, consequence from increased arms production) seem obvious, specified narratives ignore the fact that it is not the West, and Russia has decided to initiate armed action and it is above all that it can end them by preventing "shy business".

Split Europe

One of the typical lines of pro-Russian narratives is to challenge Western alliances. Supporting nationalist attitudes and isolationist policies is simply a proven instrument of Russian propaganda operating in accordance with the doctrine of "divide and rule". The collective, unanimous European Union is simply a much greater challenge for the Russian Federation than a fewer twelve smaller economies. Anti-war movements frequently mention to the concept of "Europe of nations", which calls for increased autonomy of the associate States of the European Union. Logs specified as "Europe of homelands – YES, European superstate – NO" they mention to the utmost imagination of the federalisation of Europe, in which national states would allegedly vanish completely. This communicative is frequently intertwined with Polexit's disfellowshipping praise, since within various coalitions the degree of anti-war radicalization of anti-European movements varies.

KWW Peace March Voice of Strong Poland, May 1, 2024, editorial materials

The anti-war movement besides uses all local animosities and hard past between members of the European Union, as well as between associate States and Ukraine, constantly referring, for example, to the Volynian Reich or the German crimes of the Second planet War, raising the issues of Hungarian minorities in Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine or Poland in Lithuania. However, it is useful to look in their narratives for any mention of Russian crimes.

Stop Ukrainianization

This slogan appeared in the pro-Russian propaganda transmission almost immediately after the invasion began in 2022, initially not uncovering susceptible ground due to the unprecedented scale of mobilisation of European societies to supply assistance to Ukrainian refugees. As time passed and citizens' increasing fatigue, the subject of the war was public support for Ukrainians in Poland. It's starting to weaken.and a akin situation can be expected in another countries of the European Union.

Cover of the brochure “Stop the Ukrainianization of Poland”, Confederation of the Polish Crown

Anti-war movements point to a number of alleged evidence that Ukrainians are gradually colonizing host countries, which is yet intended to lead to the displacement of local culture and the transformation of Poles/Hungarians/Slovaks into second-class citizens. Support for refugees, social benefits, free public transport, the presence of Ukrainian flags in public spaces, the chance for Ukrainians to take up work and send children to local schools are subjects frequently cited as an example of "Ukrainianisation". According to anti-war movements, citizens are marginalized, and all privileges already belong exclusively to Ukrainians who lured by the possible of a comfortable life with the money of European taxpayers massively leave Ukraine. In addition to a comfortable life from social benefits, they are besides expected to take the occupation of residents, and their presence is expected to lead to an increase in crime. These are narratives utilized universally by disinformation environments towards all immigrants, in the case of Ukrainians, further reinforced by the component of the alleged "standing of taxpayers' money" to support "not our" war.

In general, according to the popular Kremlin propaganda line, anti-war movements accuse all Ukrainians of Nazism. In Ukraine, they operated (and in truncated and upgraded form they inactive operate) volunteer, far right battalions that utilized Nazi rhetoric and symbolism. This issue We discussed as early as January 2023. Social support for this kind of ideology is in fact very tiny in Ukraine – in the 2019 parliamentary elections, a coalition of extremist and ultranationalist parties whose members belonged to the battalions, achieved 2.15%.

Polish anti-war movements

Many more or little formal organizations operating in Poland adopted anti-war and pro-Russian rhetoric. any of them are niche, but any may boast thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of sympathizers and recipients involved. delight note that by study Up to 98% of Poles may have a negative attitude towards Russia, which makes the activity of Polish pro-Russian anti-war movements peculiarly difficult. In this context, the scale of their activities and the degree of professionalism must be considered a crucial achievement.

Below we present a list of organizations that have utilized narratives that coincide with the Kremlin's propaganda line since February 2022. It cannot be concluded with certainty that these organisations or their members straight represent the interests of the Russian Federation, but they undoubtedly usage the same slogans and schemes as Russian information centres and distribute and share the same content within networks of akin groups and organisations in Central and east Europe. The list besides includes registered and informal organisations that are not active in the net (often only physically or exclusively legal tools) but were set up by members of another groups spreading akin narratives.

When discussing the links between Polish, Hungarian, Slovak and Czech anti-war movements, we are limited to describing their activity only from fresh years, with peculiar mention to the period after February 2022. The foundation of their actions has been laid for at least the last twelve years (in Poland, among others, by people specified as Aleksander Usowski, Mateusz Piskorski, Nabil Malazi or Eugeniusz Sendecki), but the aim of this study is to present the state of our current knowledge, analyse threats and foretell directions for the improvement of the most popular anti-war movements.

With fewer exceptions, these organisations are nationalistic and right-wing or far right-wing. However, as part of the spread of anti-war narratives, they are frequently inclined to cooperate with leftist organizations, which is highly uncommon in another spheres.

Polish Anti-War Movement

Polish Anti-War Movement (PRA) is simply a political scientist's initiative Leszek Sikulski and Sebastian Pitonia, “anticovid” activist and founder Mountain Vet. Both in fresh years have been well acquainted with Polish public opinion, assuming in early February 2023 the first after the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine openly pro-Russian anti-war movement. The leading slogan of the PRA was "this is not our war".

Source: PRA materials

Ideical declaration PRA precisely defines communicative lines that have been moving for over a year.

The initiative was born from the bottom-up of the thought co-operation of Sebastian Piton and Leszek Sykulski and deep disagreement with interior and abroad policies conducted by governments in Warsaw after 1999. A riot policy, aimed at confronting our neighbours and pursuing Washington's strategical interests.

Since its inception, the movement has promoted slogans specified as “Polish Americanization Stop“Stop the Ukrainianization of Poland” or “Zero enemies among neighbours”. The PRA was active, based primarily on energy and media experience Leszek Sykulski, who organized many marches, debates, conferences and meetings with movement activists throughout Poland. PRA besides organized a not very successful anti-war billboard campaign and effectively built his presence on the Internet. The Polish Anti-War Movement worked closely from the very beginning with the Confederation of the Polish Crown Grzegorz Braun.

Source: Screenshot, Mountain Veto/Facebook

Leszek Sykulski – both after the establishment of the PRA and before – repeatedly gave statements in which he sympathized with Russia, boasted of pictures with the Russian ambassador to Poland, and besides met with Alexander Dugin, Dmitri Egorzenkow or Andrey Popow (a erstwhile FSB employee).

Source: Leszek Sykulski/Facebook

Source: Leszek Sykulski/Facebook

Source: Leszek Sykulski/Facebook

Source: Leszek Sykulski/Facebook

Another sympathizers joined the movement until the divided in May 2023, erstwhile Sebastian Pitoń broke off his cooperation with Sikulski (officially due to his over-prorossy and excessive political aspirations) and moved to the Confederacy, starting cooperation with Grzegorz Braun. It turned out rather rapidly to be uncomfortable for a organization that tried to build a average image during the election campaign, and was not allowed to run in parliamentary elections. In the following year, he tried to fight for the position of mayor of Kościelisko commune, but he did not win here.

Source: Screenshot, Jerzy Andrzejewski/Facebook

Leszek Sykulski continued to lead the Polish Anti-War Movement. The PRA attempted to launch in parliamentary elections, but the State Election Commission did not registry its committee and sent the case to the D.A. in connection with suspected forgery on the list of Committee support.

Ultimately, the expansion of the PRA was utilized primarily to make the flagship initiative Leszek Sykulski, which retained all elements of PRA rhetoric, enriching them with a political aspect. Based on the programming foundation, staff and contacts gained during the PRA, Leszek Sykulski decided to fight for seats in the European Parliament, creating the Safe Poland Party.

Secure Poland

Secure Poland (BP) completely replaced the Polish Anti-War Movement, compromised after the Piton affair and scandal with letters of support. Sikulski founded BP with accused of espionage Piotr Panasiuk, a well-known pro-Russian publicist who competed in the 2019 election to the Sejm with a letter from the Confederate (and from which the organization has since cut off). Safe Poland continued the pro-Russian and anti-war mission of the PRA, as well as – despite the isolationist rhetoric and utmost Euroscepticism – trying to bring its members into Europarlamment.

After the establishment of Safe Poland, Leszek Sykulski repeatedly pointed out that this organization is not a pro-Russian organization and does not distribute the Kremlin propaganda. As stated in interview from Polsat News:

I have never promoted any proputin policy, nor have I spoken against Ukraine. Talking about the fact that Poland should not support Ukraine is not anti-Ukrainian – it is something pro-Polish. Normalizing relations with Russia and Belarus is not pro-Russianism.

It should be made a reservation that Leszek Sykulski himself is not a purely romanticist politician in Russia, nor has anyone proved him any financial ties to the Kremlin. Contrary to the claims of any commentators, there is no evidence that Sikulski wanted to make Poland a Russian republic, but it is impossible to hide that he sees Poland's place profoundly in the Russian sphere of influence, surely realizing all of the consequences. 51-party political programme BP It sets out very clearly the approach of the organization and of Sicily itself to Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the United States. After reading it there is no uncertainty about the pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian nature of the Safe Poland activity.

In the political programme of BP, the word “Russia” appears 14 times, always in the context of cooperation, usually economical and energy. Belarus appears in the paper 15 times. Poland Sykulski is to make energy bridges with Russia and Belarus, together to build atomic power plants, e.g. in Kaliningrad, to draw inexpensive gas and energy from the East from the Belarusian atom and to reject all western energy sources, especially renewable ones. Belarus is to be made available to a port in Gdańsk. Finally, Poland is expected to join the BRICS Group and the Shanghai Community Organisation, leave NATO and, in the event of further integration ("federalisation") of the European Union, make Polexit. In conclusion, the organization assumes to replace all Poland's dependence on the West with a dependence on Russia and Belarus, while claiming that it is simply a way of gaining independency and a method of conducting a "multi-vector policy".

Source: Screenshot, Safe Poland organization Program

The United States appears 8 times in the program, usually in a negative character – as a hegemon, which imposes many obligations on Poland to accomplish its own benefits. Fees for CO2 emissions, LGBT idealology or electrical car production are described as a US game to destabilise Poland. While Poland's considerable geopolitical dependence on the United States is simply a fact, all specified relations are presented by safe Poland as detrimental to Polish national interest, while the same possible dependence on Russia and Belarus is described as very beneficial.

Source: screenshot, safe.org.pl

Ukraine appears 8 times in the document, each time in a negative context. Despite the strong promotion of the slogan “zero enemies among neighbours”, the Siculski programme mentions Ukraine mainly in relation to hard historical relations (genocide in Volyn), nationalist attitudes (banderism), alleged organization Nazism (false carbon from Russian propaganda), possible atomic retaliation of Russia as a consequence of supporting Ukraine or alleged drainage by the Ukrainian army of Polish Army resources.

In the paper it is vain to look for mentions of another Polish neighbours (not counting 4 general inserts about Germans and 1 negative 1 about Lithuania), it is so hard to recognise that the declaration is not hostile to Ukraine, whose criticism is devoted almost as much space as the US.

The program repeatedly mentions Ukrainian genocide, violations of global law by the US (torture in CIA secret prisons) or even about the discriminatory policy of the Lithuanian authorities towards Polish minorities, but it is empty to look for a word about Russian crimes in Poles.

The programme itself focuses mainly on the areas of Sykulski's expertise, laconically describing issues specified as wellness or education, usually limiting itself to generics specified as "grants", "modernisation", "modernisation", "support", without indicating circumstantial solutions. Most of the program is simply a collection of more or little successful ideas, not peculiarly attributable as a full to any circumstantial current and giving the impression of alternatively populist text (what is interesting, Sikulski has long proposed a stormy late discussed housing debt 0%).

Many places are devoted to an ideological declaration, which can be described as nationalistic and right-wing, with a certain "freedom" accent in the Confederate style. Identity, cultural homogeneity, national interest and state power are changed by all cases. Interestingly, these ideological assumptions do not precisely coincide with the circumstantial assumptions of the programme. Most likely the authors of the text realized that most of the party's sympathizers would be limited to reading the first pages, and so they condensed most of the "hard" national narratives there. The program itself seems much more moderate.

In conclusion, Safe Poland is spreading the imagination of Poland as a strong and innovative country, which, after breaking all dependence on the West, would enthusiastically decision into a direct region of influence of friendly Russia. Without “enemies among neighbours”, but Ukraine.

Proceedings and structures of Safe Poland

Since the early phase of creating the fresh party, our analysts have been present in its structures (November 2023 – July 2024), accepted by Piotr Panasiuk himself. Neither local coordinators nor Panasiuk themselves effectively verified the identities of fresh members. rather quickly, during a three-month trial period and without live meetings, they entrusted them with coordination of the activities of local branches, made mailing lists and contacts available, and ordered them to collect signatures of support. Unverified organization members at a protracted trial period were besides liable for organising events and organization reunions, during which Sykulski himself was present. Despite many years of experience of members of Safe Poland in managing various associations and movements, the level of organization of the fresh organization proved alternatively amateur.

Larger events occurred mainly due to the determination of individuals alternatively than cooperation within the movement. According to our experience and what is later statement BP, Piotr Panasiuk did not peculiarly well as organization secretary, fresh members were waiting for an answer about the party's enrollment for weeks, and as of February 2024 they did not get an answer. On the agenda were crucial problems in communication, delays in work and difficulties in collecting signatures. The control of the authorities over the regular activities of local committees was illusory – the committees acted very autonomously, resulting in fast expansion of structures, but besides low efficiency of activities outside the capital.

After the unsuccessful run-off in elections to the European Parliament, the structures of Safe Poland were filled with gloomy moods, cleaning and reducing the number of smaller committees. respective activists were removed, including Piotr Panasiuk, Jerzy Andrzejewski, Natalia Jabłońska and Marian Konarski.

How informed BP:

We cut off from the activities of Piotr Panasiuk and his supporters in the authorities of the Safe Poland organization (Marian Konarski, Natalia Jabłońska) and inform all activists and sympathizers of our party, the Polish Anti-War Movement and another organizations against his activities. There are serious accusations on Mr Panasiuk from the law enforcement authorities of the Polish state, which we did not know about before joining the party. The prosecution has besides late received a notification of the offence committed by Mr Panasiuk in Article 130 (operation for abroad intelligence). ...
The audit of the party's correspondence besides pointed to Mr Panasiuk's serious omissions as secretary of the party, threatening even its liquidation (e.g. deficiency of answer to the letter of the State Election Commission). Since February this year, the National Management Board has not received from the Secretary any particulars of persons to be admitted to the party, despite dwindling associate States' declarations.

It seems that the accusations against Piotr Panasiuk about espionage and pro-Russian attitudes were, above all, a good chance to remove him from the structures of Safe Poland due to utmost incompetence and failure to fulfil his duties. Marian Konarski referred to the case, making public their correspondence with Leszek Sikulski.

Source: Marian Konarski/Facebook

Currently, the organization has:

Leszek Sykulski – President
Paweł Budrewicz – Vice President
Bartosz Kaczmarek – Vice President
Mieczysław Konarski – Vice President
Dariusz Antkiewicz – review committee
Łukasz Wojciechowski – review committee
Krzysztof Weronowski – review committee
Michał Krajewski – organization court
Maciej Power – organization court
Adam Puck – organization court

One of the leaders of Safe Poland is Paweł Budrewicz – Divorce lawyer, Adam Smith Centre expert, wrote for Wprost in the past and gave interviews in mainstream media. He is the president of the Association “I like City”, which on the X platform mainly criticises the politics of Rafał Trzaskowski, and on Facebook publishes articles known from conservative content and criticizing the ruling coalition portalwarszawski.pl blog, conducted by Daniel Echaust, whose activity during the PiS regulation financed was by PGE SA. Amounts never not disclosed. Jacek W. Bartyzel, a politician and publicist associated with the organization of Nowa Nadziej Janusz Korwin-Mikke and Ordo Iuris, is besides in the authorities of the association. Together with Karolina Pawłowska, he sits on the supervisory board of the Arche Institute (Logos Europa), whose president is Timothy Zych.

Currently Budrewicz, in addition to publishing more or little conspiracy content on his Facebook and X profile, is liable for legal issues related to the activities of Safe Poland and is undoubtedly 1 of the most substantive people in the organization.

Source: Paweł Budrewicz/X

He was present at the March 1st of May, speaking efficiently, although he did not kidnap the crowd, most likely due to the not-rapid nature of the statements (compared to the erstwhile speakers), especially due to the clear reluctance to the hard thought of Polexit in the event of the "federalisation" of Europe. Leszek Sykulski praised Budrevic from the phase respective times.

Paweł Budrewicz speaks on the March of Peace, 1 May 2024, editorial materials

Until June 2024, in the organization authorities sat besides Mariusz Swider, a author and historian specialising, among others, in the past of Russia. He's the treasurer of the Patria Society, on the review committee he sits on. Nabil Malazi, related to Wojciech Olsztynski Nestor organizations spreading Kremlin propaganda in Poland, which together with Matthew Piskorski and Sendek’s Eugenius created foundations for Polish pro-Russian movements.

Mariusz Świder in the Russian-friendly program Maciej Poręba, screenshot

Mariusz Swider and Piotr Panasiuk besides visited Moscow, taking part in the Multipolarnosti Forum, during which Panasiuk managed to talk to Alexander Dugin and give him greetings from Leszek Sykulski.

Source: Piotr Panasiuk/X

Bartosz Kaczmarek, presently Vice-President of Safe Poland, and inactive in 2016 head of structures of Poznań SLD, defined by his co-workers as a man "faithful to left-wing beliefs." However, he rapidly became known as a declared opponent of immigration and a supporter of Putin Russia. In 2018, he is expelled from the SLD and after a brief collaboration with Jarosław Puck in 2020 finds a place in the PO ranks where he is not welcome from the beginning. In 2023, he is active in the activity of the Confederation of the Polish Crown in Poznań, but the organization does not like his actions (the organization of the competitive fresh Hope march on 11 November), which leads to the fast dissolution of local structures to get free of Kaczmark. His wandering ends on the Board of Safe Poland, which seems to best suit his political beliefs.

No uncertainty there are people with an highly interesting and frequently complicated past in the authorities of Safe Poland. specified a melanze of activists of very different environments allowed to make the ambition of BP and make the largest political initiative of pro-Russian communities in the past of the III Polish Republic – the Voice of Strong Poland.

Voice of Strong Poland

Election Committee Voice of Strong Poland (GSP) was formed in March 2024. Created by the activists of Safe Poland, the Front organization and the Citizens' Voice Pack, he competed in the elections to the European Parliament, gaining the last place in the country with 0.02% of the vote. The consequence is surely not impressive, but it should be pointed out that unlike more than 15 another niche movements of utmost right and Eurosceptic GSP managed to put forward respective candidates.

Source: screenshot, GSP materials

Despite far greater aspirations, the GSP took off only in territory 5 (Mazowierz without Warsaw, the alleged "warzanek"), gaining 2167 votes, primarily in Przyspodski districts (to the west of Radom), Minsk and Radom. The reason for specified an different distribution of votes is above all the fact that exceptionally recognizable candidates competed there. Many GSP voters live in the east and south of Poland, so those most motivated to vote commuted to territory 5 and besides voted in these districts. Letters of the Strong Voice of Poland took into account regional specificities and the popularity of circumstantial candidates in given districts. For this reason, only 1 activist from the first series of Committees (Andrzej Poneta, Watah of the Citizen's Voice) yet competed in elections to the European Parliament. Leszek Sykulski and Krzysztof Tołwiński from the Front did not gain adequate support in their districts.

Finally, in territory 5 from the list of KWW the Voice of Strong Poland took off (in order from the list):

Andrzej Poneta (second score on the list)
Grzegorz Lechowski (best score on the list)
Łukasz Gorączyński
Martin Duck
Zbigniew Zarecki
Joanna Madej
Wanda Wojciechowska
Magdalena Orzechowska
Agnes Pastry

Belarusian Front

Party Front is tiny and its permanent structures are limited to operations in the area of east Poland. He represents the agrarian electorate of the Strong Voice of Poland, conducts a policy akin to Safe Poland, with peculiar emphasis on agricultural and food production. Promotes cooperation with neighbouring Belarus.

Source: Front organization materials

Front leader, Krzysztof Tołwiński, is simply a politician, erstwhile associate of the Sejm, farmer, forester and entrepreneur from Podlasie, emphasizing his noble background. In addition to political activity, as the leader of the “Front”, he is engaged in dairy farming and the organisation of events and production of agrarian food. It is entitled ‘host’. At the beginning of his career, he belonged to PSL, he was the mayor of Dziadkowice Municipality, he was a associate of the Podlaskie Seymik, and he was besides the deputy marshal of the voivodship. It got loud about him erstwhile They're out. his different relation with his subordinate and openly declared relation with 2 life partners.

After many years at the PSL, he decided to bet on the Law and Justice, which rapidly paid for losing his position. Then the local media besides predicted End of his career, calculating the alleged abuses of the erstwhile Deputy Marshal and mentioning the beatings he was about to commit on the “pareworms”. yet Tolwiński short became Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Treasury in the government of Jarosław Kaczyński. In 2010, he officially joined the PiS ranks and became a associate of the Sejm of the 6th term. He besides ran for the Sejm respective times, including from the letter Kukiz’15 and the Confederacy. Disappointed by failures and dependence on politicians of another parties in 2023, he founded the Front.

Krzysztof Tołwiński has long maintained friendly relations with the Russian embassy in Poland and with the authorities of the Grodno region in Belarus. How reported Tołwiński, Front together with safe Poland are to ask Viktor Orbán to conduct Polish-Belarusian mediation.

Krzysztof Tołwiński visits Russian Ambassador, source: screenshot, Krzysztof Tołwiński/Facebook

Between 21 and 24 August organization representatives they went to Belarusand 9 September Krzysztof Tołwiński signed cooperation agreement with the Liberal-Democratic organization of Belarus (PLDB). PLDB is 1 of the seemingly opposition parties accepted by Alexander Lukashenko to make the impression that real democracy prevails in Belarus. Both parties are to implement joint project shaping the imagination of a Europe of nations to be guaranteed by the Russian Federation. task has include besides parties from Slovakia, Germany, Italy, Austria and France. The agreement was signed during the legislature of Patriotic Forces, and the achievements of the Front during this event Krzysztof Tołwiński discussed further in his relationship from Congress.

Source: global Radio Belarus/YouTube

A Pack of Citizens' Voices

During the pandemic, frustrated with sharpening Andrzej Poneta has created an online channel aimed at recipients against vaccinations and the work to wear masks. The "citizen's voice" grew stronger and gained an expanding number of sympathizers to transform into a functioning social movement. Local informal organization cells brought together people who considered themselves peculiarly free and independent due to selective rejection of government orders and bans.

Source: Screenshot, WGO page

A howling wolf was accepted as a symbol, and members began to call themselves “watahs”. Within Vaults of the Civic Voice (WGO) there are many tiny packs that organize various events, marches, lectures and meetings. The WGO is guided by nationalist and conservative ideology, its members are Eurosceptic and frequently duplicate conspiracy narratives. They argue sex education in schools, non-cash payments, EU regulations and WHO recommendations. They work with specified channels and platforms as inRealu24, emissionsTV and BanBye.

Source: screenshot, WGO graphics

The Pack is the most dynamic organization within the Strong Voice of Poland, it besides has the most sympathizers. Regularly organize events across the country and print Internet newsletter "Echo Packah of the Civic Voice". Ultimately, it was its activists who managed best in the Committee in the European Parliament elections.

March of Peace

Even before establishing Safe Poland on the initiative of Leszek Sykulski and the Polish Anti-War Movement in Warsaw streets passed first March of Peace. Marches were organized by the Polish Anti-War Movement, Safe Poland and yet KWW Voice of Strong Poland respective times, including in Lublin.

Lublin Peace March, source: screenshot, Lublin 112

On 1 May 2024 another Peace March was organized in Warsaw, which went from the Traugutt Cross to the monument of the small Insurgent. The event, which was besides attended by our analysts, was an chance for electoral agitation, during which signatures were collected on the Committee's list of support in territory 5, leaflets, pins and press were distributed. March praised Russian media.

The march brought together respective 100 people, including many supporters of the Pack of Citizens' Voice. He started and ended with a series of speeches by activists of the Strong Voice of Poland. Representatives of respective smaller social movements, including the Polish Left Movement, besides appeared in front of the monument of the small Insurgent. During the event, almost all slogans of the Polish Anti-War Movement were promoted, NATO, the USA were criticized, called to Polexit, the genocide in Volyn was mentioned. The main slogans were peculiarly successful:

“This is not our war”
“Do not decision us the capital to Kiev”
"Stop the Ukrainianization of Poland"
‘Free Palestine’
"Stop the Americanization of Poland"

An crucial component of the March was the solidarity action with Palestine, alongside the Polish flags many Palestinians were flying. Safe Poland has repeatedly utilized the Palestinian issue and pro-Palestinian activists to advance anti-American rhetoric during akin events. There should be no illusions that BP especially cares about freedom of Palestinians, who as Arabs are not mostly seen positively in an environment associated with the Voice of Strong Poland. Support for Palestine in this case most likely serves mainly as a good pretext to criticize Israel and, indirectly, the US.

GSP activists show large efficiency in organising events in Poland, but they did not turn out to be peculiarly active in abroad anti-war activity.

Confederation of the Polish Crown

W Confederation of Freedom and Independence It is easy to find activists (and even MPs) about pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian views. However, especially active in anti-war activities are members and sympathizers Confederation of the Polish Crown (KKP). Her leader, Grzegorz Braun, is well known to everyone who is curious in politics, both in Poland and abroad. Braun late He's famous especially extinguishing in the Seyma of Khanucan candles utilizing a fire extinguisher.

Mr Braun repeatedly expressed sympathy for Russia while criticizing the Polish government's policy towards Ukraine. Since the beginning of the conflict, it has been opposed to supporting Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, which (like Leszek Sykulski) it considers to be “attracting Poland into war”. In his speeches, he besides suggested that Ukraine poses a threat to Poland, and questioned the sense of humanitarian and military aid given to Ukrainians by the Polish authorities. Braun frequently besides undermines the sense of sanctions imposed on Russia after its aggression against Ukraine, indicating that they are harmful to the Polish economy. In addition, he usually mixes Ukraine and Russia with various, usually anti-Western, conspiracy theories.

Conference of KKP “Stop the Ukrainianization of Poland”. Source: Screenshot, Janusz Swallow.

Braun since the start of the full-scale war in 2022 advocates peace understood as concessions to Russia and fulfilling a number of its demands by Ukraine. He has repeatedly engaged in anti-war speeches, but it is not him, and vice-president of the KKP plays a key function in the integration of anti-war environments in the Visegrad Group.

Roman Fritz

Roman Fritz is simply a politician, entrepreneur and MP of the current term. As Vice-President of the National Commission, he directs the global cooperation of the Confederation of the Polish Crown. He is associated with the environment of the magazine "Polonia Christiana". On behalf of KKP, Roman Fritz participates in many events promoting the friendly policy of the Russian Federation, and frequently organises them himself (more examples are presented in part on the links of anti-war movements).

Roman Fritz at a press conference “Europe Behind Peace!” surrounded by V4 anti-war movement activists, source: screenshot, KKP/Facebook

19.02.2024. Fritz attended the conference "Should the EU be expanded" in Prague. Its organizer was the Geopolitika Foundation, whose president is Milutin Miša Ilić. Ilić is critical of NATO and believes that Serbia should keep a good bilateral relation with both Ukraine and Russia, not give in to force to choose either side and refrain from any pro-Ukrainian activity.

23 October 2023. Fritz took part in the celebration of the 67th anniversary of the Hungarian Uprising in Budapest. In your own speech did not agree to a "dict" of any transnational organisations (EU, NATO). About the COVID-19 pandemic, countering global warming, kid demoralization, migration crisis and war in Ukraine, he accused Western banks and alliances. He spoke about the war utilizing the slogan of the Polish anti-war movement:

Let's not go to this war. Let us do everything we can to begin peace negotiations as shortly as possible!

Organizer events was the far right organization of Mi Hazánk (The Movement of Our Homeland), supporting the demolition of Ukraine and the annexation of Zakarpacia to Hungary.

1 June 2024 Fritz took part in a demonstration in Prague organized by Ladislav Vrabel, by Czech media called "Pro-Russian disinforator". The demonstrators protested against the war in Ukraine and demanded the Czech Republic to talk with NATO. Vrabel besides organized a demonstration on 3 September during which slogans were issued against Ukrainian refugees and protested against supplies of Czech arms to Ukraine.

Anti-war movements in Hungary

Hungarian anti-war movements linked to Russians have as long a past as akin organizations created in Poland. As part of the widely understood russian peace movement, the Hungarian National Peace Council operated under the auspices of the Patriotic People's Front (Hazafias Népfront, HNF) from 1950 to 1984. The organization lost its importance in the 1980s, but continued in limited form until 1992. presently no up-to-date information on her activities, but inactive listed as a associate on website planet Council of Peace.

At first glance, the present Hungarian anti-war movements, specified as the Hungarian ellipse of Peace, seem to favour crucial social issues, specified as conflict resolution, promotion of state sovereignty or equality in global relations. However, a detailed analysis of their narration shows that they support Russian geopolitical ambitions and propaganda or conduct operations aimed at damaging Hungarian national actors or EU and NATO associate States. Imitating examples of their predecessors of the Cold War, they proclaim the slogan of universal peace and equality, simultaneously praising Russia and China and criticizing the West. Their activity became peculiarly visible in Hungary after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the launch of a full-scale war in 2022. In consultation with another pro-Russian movements, non-governmental organisations, parties or media, at global or regional level, anti-war movements began to support proposals for ceasefires or spread seemingly peaceful narratives, blaming the West and Ukraine for continuing or escalation of the conflict – thus supporting Kremlin propaganda and increasingly playing the "wearyness of European societies in Ukraine". In 2022 anti-war and pro-Russian narratives became part of the mainstream political trend in Hungary, promoted by the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition, which portrayed the Hungarian opposition as "war inciters" during the general election of the same year.

It is no uncertainty that the Hungarian government and Fidesz-KDNP are the strongest anti-war movements in Hungary and the main braking support for Ukraine. In this analysis we besides describe Fidesz narratives, but we focus primarily on smaller independent movements that build their structures from the bottom up.

From Left to Right

The democratic past of the Hungarian peace movements can be divided into 3 periods after the government has changed. In 1990-2010, the peace movement represented mainly the far left. Between 2010 and 2022, movements dominated the Cremol leftist organizations, led by the Workers' organization and the Hungarian Social Forum. The current organisation and directions of improvement of the Hungarian anti-war movements marked the annexation of Crimea in 2014. In the same year, Endre Simó, co-founder of the Hungarian Social Forum, formed the Hungarian Peace ellipse to advance Russian and Chinese interests. After the outbreak of the war in 2022, opposition to engagement in conflict became the key point of communication and the foundation of the Fidesz-KDNP agenda in the main political mainstream, which allowed ruling parties to present democratic opposition as pro-war during the 2022 elections.

Meanwhile, false anti-war movements appeared on both the far left and the far right, the second being primarily represented by the Movement of Our Homeland holding a position which is hard to separate from government anti-war narratives, but for a clear revisionism that presupposes a "return of Zakarpacia" to Hungary as a consequence of an open war.

The main actor of the anti-war utmost political left was the organisation of the Peace Forum founded by the Hungarian Peace ellipse and the Hungarian Workers organization in September 2022. From the very beginning, she promoted Russia's claims and allegations towards the West, calling on the Hungarian government to take a neutral position in the conflict and demanding the withdrawal of "foreign troops" violating Hungary's sovereignty, including NATO soldiers. The movement of the far left associated with the ellipse of Peace besides replicates anti-Israeli, partially anti-Semitic narratives regarding the war in Gaza present in the western left-wing peace movements. Hungarian anti-war leftist movements criticise Hungary's support for Israel, calling Israel's actions against Palestinian genocide and accusing the West of complicity. At the same time, the same organisations present Russia and China as advocates of peace in the UN. An analysis of the network of utmost left-wing connections by Political Capital has shown that the umbrella organization “Peace Forum” is able to connect – straight through contacts and activists or indirectly through organised events – utmost right-wing organisations specified as Lelkiimeret ’88, and utmost left-wing organisations specified as the Anti-Fascist League. abroad contacts of the Peace Forum mainly include planet communist movements and events specified as the 23rd global gathering of the Communist and Labour organization held in Izmir, Turkey in 2023.

Eventually, the compact national network of Hungarian anti-war movements consists of organisations with utmost – left and right views. specified links include individual and organisational contacts, news sharing, participation or co-organization of "peace demonstrations" and close contact with the Russian embassy. However, what distinguishes far-right and left-wing actors is the nature of their cooperation – right-wing organizations cooperate with the organization of events and support each other, while those left-wing actors formed a separate umbrella organization, under which they perform.

Both far-left and far-right narratives share the view of mainstream Hungarian anti-war narratives, blaming for causing the outbreak of war primarily in the West and Ukraine, while simultaneously ignoring Russia's function as an aggressor, though with any subtle differences. The 2 ideologies besides reflect a common anti-establishment sentiment rooted in the far-left rejection of “Western imperialism” or utmost right-wing defence of “national sovereignty”, which allows them to cooperate effectively for “peace”.

Hungarian anti-war movements after 2010

The current organisation and improvement of the Hungarian peace movements were influenced by the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. From 2014 to 2020, the peace movement was mainly represented by left-wing micro-organisations related to the Kremlin, led by the Workers organization and the Hungarian Social Forum. In 2014, Simó Endre, a founding associate of the Hungarian Social Forum, formed the Hungarian Peace ellipse (Magyar Békekör) most likely in order to promoting Russian and Chinese interests. The organisation's website validated the annexation and She warned Hungary before engaging in war. This anti-war rhetoric was rapidly taken over by Fidesz-KDNP and allowed to effectively represent the opposition as war instigators. Additionally, emphasizing the alleged aggression of the West against Russia, the rulers could keep and legitimize close diplomatic and economical relations between Hungary and Russia, even after the outbreak of the war in 2022. This led to the first polarization of the Hungarian anti-war movement, with far-left actors on 1 side and the far-right Movement of Our Homeland (Mi Hazánk Mozgalom), which presented its own "peaceful proposal", on the other.

On the basis of the available data, the national anti-war movements can be divided into 3 parts: the main movement in the main policy mainstream represented by Fidesz-KDNP and its satellite organizations, utmost left and utmost right movements. The interlinkages between these organisations and parties include not only individual and organisational relations, but besides a common information policy, participation or organisation of "peace demonstrations" and close contact with the Russian embassy.

In this Hungarian network of non-governmental anti-war movements, 2 actors play a central or "bridged" role: the Forum for Peace, which mainly brings together left-wing organisations, and the far-right Movement of Our Homeland, as well as 2 pro-Russian parties, Bal-Rad and Russian Karpacki Blog (blog Rushin Kárpátalja).

Anti-war propaganda line of the Hungarian government

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government's first communication strategy was chaotic. Officials, pro-government experts and influencers regularly claimed that Moscow would never undertake specified aggression. As a result, government-controlled public broadcaster and pro-government media reported the war from 2 highly different perspectives. On the 1 hand, they published real reports depicting Russia as an aggressor and detailing the war crimes committed by the Russian army. On the another hand, they allowed pro-government experts and lower-ranking Fidesz politicians to disseminate pro-Kremlovian narratives and understatement of Russia's responsibility For conflict. erstwhile the erstwhile opposition candidate for Prime Minister Péter Márki-Zay declared to independent media in late February 2022 that he would support NATO's decision to support Ukraine, the ruling organization and its media distorted his statement, claiming that the opposition wanted to drag Hungary into war – which yet helped Fidesz-KDNP safe himself a triumph in the parliamentary elections.

Viktor Orbán utilizing the slogan “This is not our war”, source: VTV Makoi/YouTube

During the electoral campaign, the government's "peace narrative" cast an even higher run, portraying Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz-KDNP as the only politicians opposed to Hungary's accession to the war. Their main message – "European pro-war politicians want to start the 3rd planet War" – made elections a literal choice between life and death for many citizens. Fidesz politicians claimed that the "pro-war left" and most Western countries wanted to drag Europe into the Russian-Ukrainian war, sending weapons and then their own troops to aid Ukraine. Fidesz himself introduced himself as the only pro-peace organization to advocate ceasefire and peace talks. The key European politicians afraid by these claims are Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, Olaf Scholz, and Manfred Weber, which correspondes with the "lists of shame" of almost all anti-war movements in the geographical area under consideration.

The fresh Hungarian strategy with autocratic features established after 2010 seeks to legitimise its power through street demonstrations known as "marriage of peace". The first peace march, which mobilised hundreds of thousands of people, took place in 2012 during the first conflicts between the European Union and the Hungarian government in connection with the controversial transformation of constitutional order. The march was intended to defend the Hungarian “skill” and “peaceful democracy” against foreign powers and national opposition. On 1 June 2024 the tenth march of peace was held. This time anti-war slogans were utilized to mobilise support for Fidesz-KDNP just before the European and local elections. This event besides became an chance for smaller anti-war movements to present themselves to a wider audience.

Forum for Peace

In September 2022, on the initiative of Endre Simó, president of the Hungarian Peace Circle, and Gyuli Thürmer, president of the Hungarian Workers' Party, the "Forum for Peace" movement was created. decision is intended to "regular policy responses to events threatening the peace and safety of our country". Furthermore, the movement recognised Russia's claims towards the West, urged the Hungarian government to adopt a "neutral" (pro-Russian) position in the conflict and demanded the withdrawal of the "foreign troops" from Hungary's territory, including NATO soldiers. In addition to 2 founding organizations, the movement has 4 another members: The Association for regulation of Law (Jogállamért Egyesület), the utmost right-wing Conscience of ’88 (Lelkiismeret ’88), the Honfoglalás 2000 (Honfoglalás 2000 Egyesület), which had previously organised pro-Russian protests, and the Hungarian Association for the Better Future (Hajrá Magyarok a Szbb Jövőnkért Egyesület).

Logotype Forum for Peace

To connect to the narratives of the main Hungarian anti-war stream, The Forum for Peace issued a peculiar message in which it welcomed the peace march organised by Fidesz-KDNP on 1 July 2024. Activists markedthat, unlike the Hungarian NATO Government and EU allies, they are "pro-war" and stressed the request to establish a fresh European safety strategy that recognises Russia's safety demands.

Forum for peace – links

An analysis of the Forum for Peace movement networks showed that its members combine utmost right-wing and left-wing policy options, and proved their cooperation with the environment of Hungarian pro-Russian publicists and online media, as well as with global left-wing and right-wing anti-war movements.

The Workers' Party, represented by organization president Gyula Thürmer, maintains close ties with the left from Russia and China and participates in national and global communist events. These included, among others, the global Partitional gathering held at the office of the Workers' organization in Budapest in March 2024, and Gyula Thürmer's participation in celebrations devoted to Russian "Defenders of Homeland“ organized by the Russian Embassy in February 2024.

An crucial event was besides the 23rd global gathering of Communist and Workers organization held in Izmir, Turkey in October 2023. The parties active have issued statements calling for the strengthening of "Combating NATO” and called for the organization “universal mobilisation against Israeli aggression worldwide".

As leader of the Hungarian Peace ellipse and founder of the Forum for Peace, Endre Simó primarily builds contacts that support Russian interests. An example of specified activity is the lecture on Ukraine and the fresh European position quo delivered by the Russian ambassador to the Forum in October 2023. Simó besides participated in 2 peace forums in Austria, where he demanded that "Hungary should not be drawn into war, they should prosecute an active policy of neutrality and, together with Austria, refrain from pouring oil into the fire." How results from the analysis conducted by the Factschekking portal Lakmuszuch, the Forum for Peace is besides linked to the national pro-Russian online environment through the Hungarian Peace Circle.

Anti-war protest in Budapest, source: Peace Forum/Facebook

The Peace Forum organised 2 anti-war protests in Budapest. During the event on 26 July 2023 organizers in a joint message primarily blame Ukraine and the West for causing conflict:

Peace in our country is at stake. Our Western allies, in cooperation with national political and military circles, are trying to force us to war on the side of Ukraine against Russia. They blackmail us, interfere in our interior affairs, consider coup d'état and search to install a puppet government alternatively of legal. They want us to abandon our pro-peace policy, send weapons and troops to Ukraine and one more time wage war with Russia, this time alongside NATO.

A akin event about the same message was organized in March 2024. The first demonstration, organised by the Forum for Peace, was attended by both far-right and far-left organisations. It showed that left-wing and right-wing anti-war movements can work perfectly together erstwhile they have a common goal, and that the Kremlin successfully infiltrated Hungarian extremist movements and micro-organisations in the full spectrum of the Hungarian political margin. These include: the mentioned far-right organization Lelkiismeret ’88, 1 of which was previously accused of preparing a terrorist act, The Hungarian Antifascist League, which seemingly rejects utmost right-wing extremism, and the planet Hungarian Federation, which represents the interests of Hungarian minorities surviving abroad. Although specified cooperation seems impossible, our analyses have shown that ideologically opposing movements can be successfully integrated into the doctrine of "East vs. West" or "victim versus aggressor". The Russian-Ukrainian War can be interpreted either as a nationalist task of large Russia opposing Western military aggression and liberating a Russian minority, or as an effort against Western imperialism based on left-wing egalitarian values, restoring social justice on "freed" areas.

The Movement of Our Homeland

At the far right of the pro-Russian "peaceful" communicative represents the Movement of Our Homeland, which occupied the space released by the derodicalysed Jobbik organization (now located as the right-wing centre party). In a speech of March 2023, the president of the movement, László Toroczkai, stated that in the name of peace Ukraine "must quit territories".

15 March 2024 during the "peaceful" protest in Budapest, held on a national vacation commemorating the 1848-49 revolution, Toroczeki called on the Hungarian government to veto Sweden and Finland's membership of the North Atlantic Alliance, opposing the "NATO expansion" and claiming that NATO's growth poses a threat to governance in Europe. As he admitted, long-term objective traffic is neutral Hungary, akin to Austria, focusing solely on Hungarian interests.

László Toroczkai speaks at an anti-war rally, source: screenshot, page A Mi Hazank

In March 2024, in cooperation with the German far right AfD Movement Our Homeland organised another anti-war protest in Budapest to "avoid the 3rd planet WarIt’s okay. ” This event highlighted the difficulties facing the movement, seeking to separate its communicative from the authoritative line of the Hungarian government. To item the more extremist attitude of the Movement, the Toroczeki confirmed that under certain conditions he would support a border revision. How stated: "If Ukraine's statehood ceases as a consequence of war, we, as the only organization in Hungary, will request Zakarpacia". If we examine the relations of our Homeland, it will become clear that the organization is indirectly linked to the movement of the Forum for Peace – the planet Hungarian Federation participated in the demonstrations of the Forum for Peace, as well as in the mentioned event March 15.

Hungarian voice on The Voice of Europe

By Czech counterintelligence the complex Russian propaganda grid has long operated in the European Union to slow down aid to Ukraine. This operation, supported by Russian intelligence, included, among another things, the Voice of Europe website, which published anti-Ukrainian materials and declarations by procremlow politicians. any European politicians who collaborated with this portal were paid by Russia and in any cases the money was utilized to finance their electoral campaigns before the June European elections. The site was supported by Viktor Medwedczuk, Ukrainian opposition policy and oligarch surviving in Moscow, who is considered a close associate of Vladimir Putin. Following the outbreak of the scandal, the Czech government placed the operators of Voice of Europe on the national list of persons sanctioned against Russia.

The possible links between Russian operations and Hungarian anti-war movements are twofold. Firstly, Voice of Europe was active in Austria, where his squad recorded material in June 2023 during "International Peace Summit for Ukraine” in Vienna, attended by Endre Simó, leader of the Peace Circle. Secondly, the Visegrád Post, led by Ferenc Almássy since 2010, was besides investigated by intelligence agencies to be part of the wider Voice of Europe network. Almássy, who moved to Budapest at the age of 22, had long ties to far-right groups, including Jobbik and Neo-Nazi Pax Hungarica, as well as to Russian separatists in east Ukraine. Another crucial figure in the scandal is Nicolas de Lambertie, associated with Almássy and mentioned among the authors of the Visegrád Post, active in the Hungarian far right activity since mid-2000, erstwhile it was the leader of the French branch The Sixty 4 Countries Movement. The movement was founded and over the years led by László Toroczekia, the current leader of the Movement of Our Homeland.

Despite Simó's participation in the peace summit in Austria or Amássy and Lamberteri's ties to Hungarian far right movements by hvg.hu There is no evidence that the Hungarian Peace ellipse or the Movement of Our Homeland has received any money from abroad entities to conduct an influence operation. However, the scandal with Voice of Europe highlighted the extended and long-term impact of the Kremlin on the organisations that formed the basis of the Hungarian peace movements. It is highly hard to prove the financial ties of specified organisations without tools reserved for state institutions, but the correlations of narratives and individual connections leave no uncertainty as to the nature of the Hungarian anti-war movements.

Hungarian anti-war movements online

As 1 of the main pro-Russian websites on the Hungarian Internet, Bal-Rad is defined as a "nationalist extremist left-wing news portal" and regularly publishes messages and calls from the Hungarian Peace Circle. The Russian Communist organization and the Ukrainian Communist organization are listed as partner organizations on the portal's main website.

Bal-Rad logo

By propaganda distributed by Bal-Rad:

The peace of our country is at stake. Our Western allies, in alliance with national political and military circles, want to force us to war on the side of Ukraine against Russia. They blackmail us, interfere with our interior affairs, consider coup d'état, and want to bring puppet government into place of legal. They want us to quit our pro-peace policy, send arms and soldiers to Ukraine and go to war with Russia again, this time as NATO.

Another pro-Russian website that combines different movements is Russian Carpathian Blog, which in 2023 informed about the demonstration against the parliamentary vote on Finland's accession to NATO, rejecting "the pointless provocation of the planet War by NATO". The demonstration was attended, among others, by the utmost right-wing paramilitary Hungarian Self-defence Movement (Magyar Önvédelmi Mozgalom), the Hungarian Peace ellipse (Magyar Békekör) or anti-vaccination activists. The most characteristic feature of Hungarian-speaking pro-Russian websites is that they quote the statements of the Hungarian Peace Circle, which includes Russian News (Orosz Hírek), 1 of the most crucial pro-Russian sources in Hungary. These media are linked to even more extremist parties promoting Russian or Hungarian revisionism (e.g. Friends of Russia, Russia | Россия, NOVOROSSIJA; Let Carpathia be Hungarian land again, Let’s remove the Shekler flags).

Anti-war movements in Slovakia and selected organisations in the Czech Republic

Similarly to the situation in Hungary, anti-war narratives in Slovakia are frequently of an authoritative nature, linked to the activity of government organization politicians. Slovak Members They utilized it all the time. Pro-Russian narratives to build political capital, which polarized the political scene of Slovakia much more than in the case of Poland or Hungary.

A network illustrating the pro-Russian discourse of Slovak parliamentarians before and after the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022. Source: Lintner, T., Diviák, T., Nekardová, B. et al. Slovak MPs’ consequence to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine in light of conspiracy themes and the polarization of political discourse. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 10, 758 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1057/s4159-023-02276-8

Below we briefly discuss the lesser-known Slovak anti-war movements and their global links, as being more susceptible to the direct influences of the Russian Federation and due to their established cooperation with akin organisations in the Visegrad Group.

Anti-war demonstrations in Slovakia were promoted and co-organised mainly by active and erstwhile members of the Slovak Revival Movement (Slovenské Hnutie Orody – SHO) in 2023, with the exception of demonstrations promoted by Qatarína Bokova from parent for Peace organization. The main rhetoric of the movements included anti-Ukrainian, anti-EU and anti-American narratives and opposition to the sending of arms to Ukraine and global organisations specified as the EU, NATO and WHO. Currently, Slovak ties to anti-war movements in Central and east Europe mainly concern members of SHO, Kotlebovci and pro-Russian organizations and individuals specified as Eduard Chmelár, Brother for Brother or Qatarín Boková. Relationships with Polish and Czech movements stay in the sphere of utmost right-wing political parties specified as the SNS and the Republic with the Polish Confederation and the Czech SPD, which met during the demonstration in Prague before the elections to the European Parliament.

Slovak Revival Movement and parent for Peace

The SHO is simply a political organization cooperating with the well-known cultural institution Matica Slovenská. SHO bimonthly analysis, Právo národa, reveals the nature of the pro-Russian activities of the party. The magazine is Eurosceptic, advocates that Slovakia leave NATO and promotes utmost conspiracy theories, including those about American-Jewish dominance of the world. The SHO has been replicating anti-vaccination narratives for a long time. Prior to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the organization focused mainly on combating migration and lobbying against vaccines and exacerbations.

Articles on the SHO portal exaggerate or completely fabricate the alleged threats from Western Europe, criticise multiculturalism, globalisation, liberalism and encourage the fight against number groups in Slovakia. The SHO uses topics specified as migration and vaccination to strengthen fears and stereotypes. The SHO information policy is based on fueling fear and hatred through content manipulated or completely false. In this respect, it resembles the another far-right anti-war movements from Central and east Europe. The SHO and the leader of the Róbert Švec movement actively engage in organizing anti-war demonstrations in Slovakia and visit akin events in Europe.

"Slovakia Needs Neutrality", Robert Svec's electoral poster

To the most popular narrative The Slovak Revival Movement includes:

• We want neutral Slovakia!
• No weapons for the government in Kiev!
• We request to retreat from NATO!
• Down with the dictatorship of Brussels!
• Let's regulation ourselves!
• NATO is simply a criminal organization!

Among the most active participants of the protests is Katarina Boková, a erstwhile associate of the SHO. Boková leads the parent for Peace group and has become an crucial voice in pre-election campaigns, especially before the Slovak parliamentary elections and elections to the European Parliament. She was besides a candidate for the European Parliament, powerfully associated with the Kotlebovci party. Boková is simply a loud critic of the EU, NATO and WHO, her narratives frequently focus on opposition to vaccination, criticism of the European Union, NATO, WHO, USA and Ukraine, and Slovak president Zuzana Čaputova.

United Movements

The Slovak Revival Movement and parent for Peace unite the community of local anti-war organizations and organize joint events and marches. The top Spring demonstration It was held on 3 March in front of the presidential palace in Bratislava. Almost all the most prominent anti-war activists and parties were present, specified as:

• Marian Kotleba
• Qatarína Boková
• Dagmar Kramplová
• Eduard Chmelár
• Štefan Harabín
• Iveta Michalikova
• Pavol Slota

March organised and supported the following moves:

• Brother for brother
• Hnutie — Občan národ spravodlivosť (Mountain-National Justice)
• DOMOV — Národná strana (DOM — National Party)
• Národné obrodenie Slovenska (National Revival of Slovakia)
• Spoločenstvo národniarov Slovenska (Nationalist Community of Slovakia)
• Vlastenecký inštitút Petra Šveca (Patriotic Petr Sveca Institute)
• OZ Slávica
• Arch’s Spollop
• Iniciatíva Vlastnecký Blok (Initiative Patriotic Block)
• Initiative I for peace (Initiate I am for peace)
• Mother per measurement (Mothers for Peace)
• Veteránov Union

The march marched under the slogans:

• The aggression of politicians must stop!
• Military support has to stop!
• Together for peace!
• No weapons for Ukraine!
• USA home!
• Peace for Our ChildrenOh, my God!
• We're home!
• Make peace not warOh, my God!
• Not for guns, not for war, just for peace!

Unlike Polish and Hungarian movements, in which left-wing and far-left organizations play a role, Slovak anti-war organizations are characterised primarily by the right-wing profile. They are very eager to cooperate with their counterparts on the Czech side and participate in any abroad reunions.

Links of anti-war movements within the Visegrad Group

The contacts described below confirm the association of representatives of many anti-war and pro-Russian movements and utmost right-wing political parties from Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Germany. These movements work closely together and form a transnational network of links throughout Central and east Europe. The simplified link map can be traced on the following interactive visualization.

Already in March 2023 a delegation of the Polish Anti-War Movement, inactive with Sebastian Piton in the lead, She went. for the anti-war march to the Czech Republic. She presented specially produced banners with the inscription “Polish Anti-War Movement”, “Stop Americanization of Poland” or “This is not our war”.

Source: Screenshot, PRA/Facebook

During the celebrations on 15 March 2024, delegations of the Polish thought Club from Warsaw, Katowice, Poznań, Łódź, Pabianic, Białystok, Wrocław, Opole, Leszno, Częstochowa and Skoczowa jointly celebrated the Hungarian revolution and war of independency in Budapest. on invitation Movement Our Homeland. In separate events many Polish thought Clubs protested together with Fidesz and Our Homeland against “the mad policy of globalists pushing Europe into war”. During this event, László Torockai met with Roman Fritz. The Polish delegation, led by David Dosc, a associate of the Polish-Hungarian interparliamentary group, visited the Hungarian parliament. The delegation besides included:

• Adam Lewandowski (World War II Veteran Inheritance Association)
• Roland Dubowski (World War II Veteran Inheritance Association)
• Sławomir Zakrzewski (World War II Veteran Inheritance Association)
• Vladimir Gorki (Polish Left Movement)
• Bartosz Kaczmarek (Secure Poland)
• Kamil Klimczak (Chromium Route)
• Jarosław Augustyniak (Jarosław seeks trouble)

On Saturday, 27 April 2024 a hybrid conference with Polish and global guests was held in Warsaw. The event entitled “The Problems of European safety – How to Avoid War” besides served as the authoritative inauguration of the Andrzej Lepper civilian Liberties Foundation, on which the board sits Mateusz Piskorski. Although the conference officially supported the diplomatic solution to the war, the participants repeated Russian rhetoric, mentioning "the respect for the rights of ethnic, national and linguistic minorities in Ukraine" and "pacification and disarmament" Ukraine as peace terms. Hungary represented János Árgyelán, a associate of the abroad Affairs Committee of the Movement of Our Homeland, who proposed to conduct referendums on the destiny of the disputed territories as a possible solution to the conflict.

János is clear. A circumstantial View on the Ukrainian issue:

From our point of view, the Western globalist planet is presently supporting the “democratic” Ukraine, which has been (and is) hostile to its minorities, including Hungarians, Russians, etc.

Besides, we have not even touched on the fact that the full strategy of democratic governments Ukraine is based on corruption, extortion, dictatorship, execution and chauvinist madness, to a much greater degree than Moscow has always experienced.

... Since the Ukrainian government is just a puppet, and Ukraine is just a substitute playground for globalists, they are curious in involving more and more countries like Sweden and Finland.

List conference participants included:

• Roman Fritz (Confederation of the Polish Crown)
• Przemysław Piasta (President of the Roman Dmowski National Foundation)
• Jacques Baud (former Swiss intelligence officer)
• Adam Laughter (Think Poland)
• Vladimir Gorki (General Secretary of the Polish Left Movement)
• János Árgyelán (The abroad Office of the Hungarian organization Mi Hazank)
• Tamas Shekeres (Rebirth party, Bulgaria)
• Dr Edward Karolczuk (Polish Marxist Association)
• Krystian Jachacy (Secretary of Labour)
• Konrad Handicaps (Creased Trading/Change)
• Roman Blaszko (publicist associated with the Communist organization of Bohemia and Moravia)

In this case, too, the list of organisations has clearly shown that pro-Russian left-wing and far-right organizations, regardless of their country of origin and ideological differences, can cooperate within the political spectrum of the utmost right-wing, as far as the interests and global influences of the Kremlin are concerned.

In May 2024, Roman Fritz organized a akin global gathering in Wodzisław Śląski at the Amadeus Hotel. It was attended by participants from the country and abroad who discussed the protection of national states, the fight against “genderal madness”, “green governance” and prospects of peace in Ukraine. Participants included:

• Roman Fritz (Confederation of the Polish Crown)
• Grzegorz Braun (Confederation of the Polish Crown)
• Włodzimierz Skalik (Confederation of the Polish Crown)
• Marta Czecha (Confederation of the Polish Crown)
• Justyna Krasowicz (Confederation of the Polish Crown)
• Diana Iovanovici Șoșoacă (S.O.S. Romania)
• Milan Uhrík (Republic, Member, Slovakia)
• Steffen Kotré (AfD, Germany)
• Petr Bystron (AfD, Germany)
• János Argyelan (Mi Hazánk, Hungary)
• Tomas Shekeres (Rebirth party, Bulgaria)
• Jiří Kobza (Freedom and Direct Democracy, Czech Republic)

The events organised in the Czech Republic, which confirm the links between Czech, Hungarian, Slovak and Polish movements, were 2 anti-war protests held before the Prague holiday. On 24 May 2024, there was a "Time for Change" protest organised by the parties Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD, Czech Republic) and Identity and Democracy (Identity and Democracy, political group in the European Parliament of the ninth term, now in disintegration). In demonstration participated representatives of the Slovak National Party, including organization leader Andrej Danko, Roman Tabak and Adam Lučanský.

Source: Andrej Danko/Facebook

1 June 2024 Czech anti-war movements and The Czech Republic First movement (name refers to “American First” by Donald Trump) during the demonstration “Call to Peace” hosted the Slovak Eurosceptic and far-right political organization Republic, with her leader Milan Uhrík in the lead. The June protest was besides attended by speakers from the Czech SPD organization and the Polish Confederation (Roman Fritz). Draft supported many activists, activists and politicians from respective countries, including:

1. Mr Goran PETRONIJEVIĆ, Serbia
2. DRAGAN ĆIRYANIĆ, Serbia
3. ROMAN FRITZ, Poland
4. VLADIMIR BASENKOV, Russia
5. ELSA WIDDING, Sweden
6. MELSSA CIUMMEI, Ireland
7. MARCUS FUCHS, Germany
8. MADS PALSVIG, Denmark
9. CATHERINE AUSTIN FITTS, USA
10. ARTUR PAWLOWSKI, Canada
11. GYULA THüRMER, Hungary
12. Mr Milan OHRÍK, Slovakia
13. Mr Ján Čarnogurská, Slovakia
14. ZDENA SAMKOVÁ, Slovakia
15. JURAJ REŽO, Slovakia
16. PETER MARČEK, Slovakia
17. Ms Anna GALOVIČOVÁ, Slovakia
18. JIÄ KOBZA, Czech Republic
19. LADISLAV VRABEL, Czech Republic
20. DAVID BOHBOT, Czech Republic
21. JAROSLAV FOLDINA, Czech Republic
22. JIŘÍ PAROUBEK, Czech Republic
23. MILUTIN ILIČ, Czech Republic
24. JOSEF SKÁLA, Czech Republic
25. PAVEL KREJČÍ, Czech Republic
26. ANTONÍN BAUDYŠ, Czech Republic
27. IVAN NOVESKÁ, Czech Republic
28. MICHAL KLUSOTEK, Czech Republic
29. VÁCLAV HRABÁK, Czech Republic
30. JOSF NERUŠIL, Czech Republic
31. BETISLAV VONŠOVSKÁ, Czech Republic
32. VÍTĚZSLAV PILMAJER, Czech Republic
33. JANA VOLFOVÁ, Czech Republic
34. KLÁRA SAMKOVÁ, Czech Republic
35. KATARÍNA BENKO, Czech Republic
36. MAREK VYSOCK, Czech Republic
37. DAGMAR WEISSABELOVÁ, Czech Republic
38. PETR BUREŠ, Czech Republic
39. KEDROUTEK, Czech Republic
40. Ms Jana Peterková, Czech Republic
41. SUMMER HROMEK, Czech Republic
42. PETR Rička, Czech Republic
43. ŠTEFAN BARTOK, Czech Republic
44. ALEŠ SVOBODA, Czech Republic
45. JANA KARÁSKOVÁ, Czech Republic
46. DANIEL ĎURIŠ, Czech Republic
47. ALEŠ HODINA, Czech Republic

14 June 2024 during press conference The Confederation of the Polish Crown, entitled “Europe Behind Peace!” in the Sejm, was performed by prominent anti-war activists from the Visegrad Group. Among others were mentioned earlier: Grzegorz Braun, Włodzimierz Skalik, Ladislav Vrabel, Roman Fritz, Milan Uhrik, Steffen Kotré, János Árgyelán.

Foreign anti-war movements visit the Sejm, source: KKP/Facebook

Summary

Pro-Russian anti-war movements undoubtedly cooperate closely within the Visegrad Group, keep friendly relations, exchange information, usage the same slogans, narratives and usage akin rhetoric. In countries specified as Poland their work is very hard due to the skeptical attitude of society towards Russia, but here besides they manage to make efficient structures and become part of the 4th strongest group in the Polish parliament.

It is expected that the influence of pro-Russian anti-war movements on voters in Poland, The Czech Republic and Hungary and Slovakia will increase with expanding public opinion fatigue the war in Ukraine and the general strengthening of European populist parties. Significantly, the Kremlin uses the slogan “STOP war” in its abroad influence operations, at the same time arresting His own citizens for chanting on the streets of Moscow.

Methodology

The study was created in cooperation with analysts Political Capital and GLOBSEC. It analyses the improvement of Polish, Hungarian, Slovak and Czech anti-war movements and the possible of their impact on the public's perception of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The intent of the study is to rise awareness among the public and decision-makers within the EU and NATO on the request to build social resilience to harmful information operations carried out by local actors in wider regional and abroad information manipulation and information interference. foreign information manipulation interference, FIMI).

A number of standard analytical techniques and tools and OSINT, specified as Gerulata/Juno, Meltwater, Malty and Spiderfoot, were utilized during the report. In order to analyse the links between war movements, widely available databases and domain registers were used. The small Sis tool was utilized to visualize (as part of the platform test) and the contextualization and investigation description was based on DISARM Framework RED. As part of their attempts to better realize the specifics of Polish anti-war movements, our analysts were besides present at selected events and successfully utilized HUMINT techniques to infiltrate the structures of 1 of the Polish movements.

DISARM RED

Pro-Russian anti-war movements within V4 usage a full set of techniques to build long-term strategies for impact operations through Pacific rhetoric enriched with anti-Western and nationalistic elements. specified manipulation of information is usually based on mixing the real and imaginary actions of NATO countries and the EU and the silence of those that may discredit the Russian Federation. Of course, there are any differences in the anti-war activities in the Visegrad Group, but the foundation of their operation can be described by the following characteristics according to the principles DISARM Framework (RED).