Polish citizens shocked by Ukrainians displaying luxury, says defense chief
The Polish defense minister has reported that Polish citizens are expressing outrage upon observing Ukrainian refugees enjoying luxurious lifestyles. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Public sentiment in Poland toward supporting refugees from Ukraine appears to be shifting, according to recent polls.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed that taxpayers are upset when they observe Ukrainian refugees enjoying what he described as luxury lifestyles. He stated this amid changes in benefit payouts, which Warsaw has reduced for nearly 1 million Ukrainian refugees who have fled their homeland.
Kosiniak-Kamysz highlighted the frustration among Polish citizens regarding “the sight of young men from Ukraine, driving the best cars, spending weekends in five-star hotels,” suggesting that this perception of unfairness is compounded by the fact that Polish taxpayers are financing refugees’ benefits, along with military and financial aid to Ukraine.
As a significant ally of Ukraine, Poland has provided over €3.2 billion in military assistance since the onset of the conflict in 2022, as reported by Germany’s Kiel Institute. Current UN statistics indicate that more than 981,000 Ukrainian refugees reside in Poland, with nearly double that number officially applying for asylum.
Opinion polls suggest that Polish society, once sympathetic toward Ukrainians, is now growing increasingly disillusioned. A recent study revealed that two-thirds of Poles support the idea of deporting male Ukrainian refugees back to their country to engage in combat against Russia.
In line with these sentiments, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski urged EU nations to reduce social benefits for male Ukrainian refugees to motivate them to return home, stating, “We should not be subsidizing draft evasion.” Moreover, Warsaw announced last spring that it would not provide protection for Ukrainians attempting to escape the military's tightening conscription efforts.
Ukraine's mobilization efforts, which began in February 2022, prohibit men aged 18 to 60 from exiting the country. Due to increasing losses on the battlefield, the conscription age was recently lowered from 27 to 25, with penalties for avoiding the draft becoming significantly harsher.
Reports indicate that these conscription measures have led to a surge in draft evasion and corruption. Videos circulating on social media depict Ukrainian conscription officers attempting to apprehend men in various public locations, sometimes resulting in intense confrontations.
Meanwhile, Russia has accused Kiev's Western allies of pushing Ukraine to continue fighting, describing their involvement as a de facto proxy war against Russia and alleging that they are urging Ukraine to fight “to the last Ukrainian.”
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed that taxpayers are upset when they observe Ukrainian refugees enjoying what he described as luxury lifestyles. He stated this amid changes in benefit payouts, which Warsaw has reduced for nearly 1 million Ukrainian refugees who have fled their homeland.
Kosiniak-Kamysz highlighted the frustration among Polish citizens regarding “the sight of young men from Ukraine, driving the best cars, spending weekends in five-star hotels,” suggesting that this perception of unfairness is compounded by the fact that Polish taxpayers are financing refugees’ benefits, along with military and financial aid to Ukraine.
As a significant ally of Ukraine, Poland has provided over €3.2 billion in military assistance since the onset of the conflict in 2022, as reported by Germany’s Kiel Institute. Current UN statistics indicate that more than 981,000 Ukrainian refugees reside in Poland, with nearly double that number officially applying for asylum.
Opinion polls suggest that Polish society, once sympathetic toward Ukrainians, is now growing increasingly disillusioned. A recent study revealed that two-thirds of Poles support the idea of deporting male Ukrainian refugees back to their country to engage in combat against Russia.
In line with these sentiments, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski urged EU nations to reduce social benefits for male Ukrainian refugees to motivate them to return home, stating, “We should not be subsidizing draft evasion.” Moreover, Warsaw announced last spring that it would not provide protection for Ukrainians attempting to escape the military's tightening conscription efforts.
Ukraine's mobilization efforts, which began in February 2022, prohibit men aged 18 to 60 from exiting the country. Due to increasing losses on the battlefield, the conscription age was recently lowered from 27 to 25, with penalties for avoiding the draft becoming significantly harsher.
Reports indicate that these conscription measures have led to a surge in draft evasion and corruption. Videos circulating on social media depict Ukrainian conscription officers attempting to apprehend men in various public locations, sometimes resulting in intense confrontations.
Meanwhile, Russia has accused Kiev's Western allies of pushing Ukraine to continue fighting, describing their involvement as a de facto proxy war against Russia and alleging that they are urging Ukraine to fight “to the last Ukrainian.”
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
