Unknown hackers spread two fake articles in the Polish media about the so-called "territorial debts" of the Czech Republic. The perpetrators created a fake website of "Czech Radio" and fake Facebook accounts where imaginary diplomats commented on the demarcation of the borders. The incident was reported by the Polish portal CyberDefence24.pl. According to its information, the aim of the disinformation campaign may have been to worsen relations between Poland and the Czech Republic, reports UNN with reference to "Radio Prague".
Details
The article contains information about an allegedly existing document from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding that the Polish-Czech border be changed and that approximately 638 hectares of Czech territory be transferred to Poland, CyberDefence24.pl writes. The website draws attention to the fact that the fake document was written in Czech, except for the last few words, which were given in Polish. In the publication's view, this indicates that the text was generated using artificial intelligence.
Unknown perpetrators hacked the security system of the website of the Polish regional radio station Radio PiK. They published an article on it claiming, "with reference to the Czech media," that Warsaw allegedly intended to occupy six hundred hectares of Czech territory.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski reacted on social media: "Do not let them turn us against each other." "The annexation of Zaolzie was one of the stupidest decisions in the history of Polish foreign policy, but I hope that our Czech brothers remember: Poland, represented by President Lech Kaczyński, publicly apologized for it at Westerplatte in 2009," Sikorski stressed.
And Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted a picture of Pat and Mat, writing that Poland and the Czech Republic are true friends.
The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the disinformation and explained the essence of the issue. The fabricated information story is based on a long-standing dispute over 368 hectares of land claimed by Poland. Under the 1958 treaty, the Czechoslovak-Polish border was demarcated, as a result of which its length was reduced by 80 kilometers. When calculating the territorial gains and losses of both states, a difference of approximately 368 hectares in Poland's favor emerged. Since 1992, Prague and Warsaw have held a series of negotiations to settle this "territorial debt."
In February 2026, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka discussed the issue with his Polish counterpart Sikorski. "There will be no question of any territorial or financial compensation. On the contrary, we are saying that we will resolve this dispute through a joint project (...) aimed at flood protection," Macinka said.
In investigating this disinformation operation, the intelligence services of both countries suspect Russia.
"The perpetrators' modus operandi corresponds to methods known to be used by the Russian side. At this stage, the organizer of the incident has not been unequivocally identified," Poland's domain name registrar NASK believes.
Zoznam Zprávy journalist Lukáš Valášek noted that the disinformation campaign was distinguished by an extremely broad set of tools and a high degree of coordination. The authors used artificial intelligence, created a fake website of "Czech Radio" and fake social media profiles to spread false information. Czech and Polish law enforcement agencies have been tasked with identifying the campaign's organizers.