The project “Shady Horses” delves into investigating Russian propaganda dissemination within Western countries through prominent individuals, often referred to as “talking heads.”
By analyzing the influence and messaging of these figures, the project seeks to shed light on the tactics employed to spread Russian narratives, their impact on public opinion, and their potential connections to foreign organizations.
On November 6 2023, Polish carriers began blocking the three border crossings with Ukraine. Among the demands to the Polish government is the return of permits for Ukrainian carriers; introduction of strict transportation and border crossing rules for foreigners; ban on company registration in Poland, if its financial activity takes place outside the territory of the EU.
According to official data, the organizer of the action is The Committee to Protect Transporters and Transport Employers.The leader of the organization is Rafał Mekler – the owner of the transport company Rafał Mekler Transport, which carries out transportation to Russia and Belarus. Meklar also heads the Lublin branch of Confederation – a Polish far-right party with a radically anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and ties to Russia. Mekler is also a co-author of the annual event “Lublin March in Memory of the Volyn Massacre”.
According to the reports of investigators from the Guildhall, Russia may be involved in the blockade of the Ukrainian border by Polish carriers demanding “fair competition”.
As of the end of November, the waiting time for trucks to cross the Polish-Ukrainian border is up to 10 days. According to Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Serhiy Derkach, Polish transporters that protest on the border with Ukraine have repeatedly blocked the passage of tankers with fuel and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, despite the promise not to do so.
Rafał Mekler – the next candidate for The Kremlin’s Shady Horses of Russian Propaganda.
Who is this Shady Horse:
Rafał Mekler, the leader of the regional branch of the far-right party “The Confederation Liberty and Independence”.
Where are they from?
Poland
Political affiliation:
Far-right “The Confederation Liberty and Independence”
What have they been saying?
Rafał Mekler regularly publishes screenshots of personal threats from Ukrainians. At the same time, verification of most accounts confirms that bots are behind the threats (for example, Diana Azanieva). These posts are aimed at encouraging hate speech on the part of Poles against Ukrainians. As a result, Mekler inflames international enmity:
“Meet Mrs. Diana. She wrote me greetings with the standard threats… If I stick a knife in it, it could be Mrs. Diana…”
Mekler is also a regular “supplier” of anti-Ukrainian content for the Polish-language segment of YouTube.
An example of playing the card of historical resentment:
After two weeks of contact with Ukrainians, I notice that in each of them there is a bit of Khmelnytsky and a bit of Bohun.
Ukraine is experiencing hostilities at the front, where people are dying. On the other hand, it is the beneficiary of a kind of Marshall Plan, which is characterized by increased trade and investment in this country. And there would be nothing wrong with that, if it weren’t for the fact that our (Polish) economic situation in the transport sector is now worse than in a country at war.
Now we can give up Donbas, which our neighbors handed over to us to rebuild.
(According to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano in 2022, Poland took over the restoration of regions of the Donetsk region).
When it comes to responsibility for the death of a person (a Ukrainian driver died in a parking lot in Chelm), let’s remember if it was just as easy for the Ukrainian side to point out the culprits in the death of two Poles from Przewodów?
(Presumably as a result of the fall of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile on 15th of November, 2022).
In Ukraine, an American transvestite (Sarah Ashton-Cirillo) became the spokesperson of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukrainians bear the socio-cultural costs of the war. On the one hand – physical destruction, and on the other – the price – erosion of the traditional order.
We send thousands of tons of food to Ukraine, while Ukraine aspires to be an exporter of agricultural products to the entire EU.
Russia’s ambassador to Poland, Sergey Andreev, was doused with fake blood at a May 9 rally in Warsaw in 2022 . Mekler’s reaction was as follows:
The state apparatus allowed the citizens of another country to transfer their conflicts to our territory. It is unacceptable. The foundations of international law have been violated, and the state’s response will be the starting point for a possible similar incident in Russia. “Treat others as you want to be treated.” Such should be the motto of diplomatic behavior and activity in relation to the Russian embassy today.
The source of the quotes – Rafał Mekler Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KonfederacjaLublin
