The key facts

  • Poland's Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski called social media 'silent allies' of Russian bots in the 'digital war'
  • He suggested that the platforms' inaction may be deliberate and linked to growing revenues
  • Earlier, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova complained about 'Russian propaganda', bots and trolls under her posts

Statement by the Polish minister

Poland's Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski called social media 'silent allies' of Russia in the 'digital war', the Reuters news agency reports. According to him, 'the digital war with Russia continues, and within this digital war there is a disinformation front', and on this front there is 'a silent ally of Russian bots — social media'.

Claims against the platforms

Gawkowski complained that 'social media are doing nothing about it'. He suggested that this could be a deliberate action by the platforms' owners, thanks to which they increase their revenues.

Context: complaints from European officials

Earlier, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova expressed irritation on her X page over, in her words, 'Russian propaganda', bots and trolls under her posts. 'I am starting to get tired of Russian propaganda. And also of the bots and trolls under my posts. Come on, Russia. Is this really the best your propaganda machine can do?', Mathernova wrote. In addition, it was previously reported that people are being mass-recruited in Ukraine to post negative comments about the SVO.