Alarming rise in hate crimes against Ukrainians in Poland: solidarity turns into hostility and social anxiety
The number of crimes committed against Ukrainian citizens in Poland has risen sharply for the third consecutive year, according to official data released by the National Police and reported by the portal Onet. After the wave of empathy and support that marked the first months of the war, the social atmosphere in Poland has shifted dramatically, with tensions over jobs, public services, and social assistance now fueling distrust and hostility.
Between January 1 and July 31, 2025, Polish authorities recorded 543 hate-motivated crimes — a 41% increase compared to the same period in 2024, when 384 cases were reported. Most incidents targeted Ukrainian refugees living in Poland, a trend that has continued to escalate since 2022, the year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The number of physical assaults against Ukrainians — resulting in minor or moderate injuries — has also risen steadily: 142 cases in 2022, 175 in 2023, and 204 in 2024, marking a 43% increase in just two years. In the first eight months of 2025, police already documented 118 attacks, suggesting a possible new annual record.
Although the Polish Penal Code lacks a precise definition of hate crimes, the police apply the standard set by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which defines such acts as those in which victims are targeted based on ethnic, religious, or cultural prejudice.
“Hate crimes represent a serious form of discrimination and a direct violation of fundamental human rights,” said Commissioner Wioletta Szubska, spokesperson for the National Police Headquarters.
Sociologist Przemysław Sadura of the University of Warsaw attributes the shift in attitudes to the exhaustion of post-2022 solidarity and growing social anxiety.
“Stories about Ukrainians ‘taking spots’ in hospitals, kindergartens, or social benefits reflect the fragility of our welfare system. Especially in the labor market, the fear of losing jobs combines with economic pressure and the emergence of cheaper labor,” he explained.
Poland currently hosts over one million Ukrainian citizens, making it the country’s largest foreign community. While the police have not yet published the full breakdown of 2025 data, authorities confirm that Ukrainians remain the most frequently targeted group — both in absolute numbers and in the rate of increase in attacks.
Human rights activists are calling for legislative clarification of key definitions, stronger protection measures for victims, and public awareness campaigns against ethnic hatred and xenophobia — at a time when Poland is facing the sharpest rise in hate-motivated incidents in recent years.
