# Ukrainian Refugee Numbers Decline 11% in Poland as Hostility Rises

> The number of Ukrainian refugees under temporary protection in Poland decreased by 106,500 between April and early September 2026, an 11% drop, coinciding with new Polish legislation and an increase in reported physical attacks against Ukrainians [1][15][25].

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-24T04:14:38.080605Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/ukrainian-refugee-numbers-decline-11-in-poland-as-hostility-rises-2f3f6a65

This shift impacts hundreds of thousands of individuals who sought safety in Poland, altering their legal status and access to services, and reflecting a colder welcome driven by policy changes, historical tensions, and foreign disinformation campaigns [1][6][11][25].

## Fewer Ukrainians in Poland
Polish government statistics show over 106,500 fewer Ukrainians under temporary protection between April 2026, when 974,500 were registered, and early September 2026, when the number fell to 868,000, an 11% reduction [1]. Eurostat data indicates a broader decline of almost 15% over the past year, from 1.008 million to 859,000 [5]. While some reports cite rising hostility, immigration experts largely attribute the decline to "bureaucratic roadblocks" from new laws, rather than direct conflict [1]. Some Ukrainians are also switching to other residence permits [3].

## New Legislation Alters Refugee Status
New Polish legislation, effective March 2026, phased out many special provisions for Ukrainian refugees [4][25][27]. The law now requires those seeking temporary protection to explicitly state their intention to border guards and register for a PESEL UKR identification number within 30 days of entry [1][4]. After March 5, 2026, access to "family benefits, healthcare, and accommodation" was reduced [25]. The EU-level temporary protection remains until March 4, 2027 [4][28].

## Rising Hostility and Historical Tensions
Reports indicate increased hostility and physical attacks targeting Ukrainians in Poland [15][23][24]. ACLED records 13 physical attacks against Ukrainian nationals in 2026, nearly double 2025's total and sharply up from one in 2024 [15]. Ukraine's Ambassador Vasyl Bondar noted a 30% increase in attacks over three years, with 180 incidents in the first half of 2026, compared to 267 in 2024 and 275 in 2025 [16]. These tensions are inflamed by historical grievances, particularly the Volhynia massacres by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) [7][11][12][13][22][29][30]. A diplomatic rift occurred after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named a military unit after the UPA, prompting Polish President Karol Nawrocki to strip Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honor [11][12][14]. The 2025 election of nationalist-populist Karol Nawrocki further fueled xenophobia [31].

## Russian Disinformation Fuels Divides
Russian disinformation campaigns actively exploit these vulnerabilities to divide Poland and Ukraine [6][17][19]. These operations use tactics, including anonymous social media accounts and AI-generated content, to demonize Ukrainian refugees, falsely portraying them as "violent, destructive, and freeloading" [6][8][9][10][21]. Such narratives have eroded positive attitudes towards Ukrainians in Poland [9]. Russian actors also exploited anti-Ukrainian sentiment during the 2025 Polish presidential election [21].

## What We Could Not Confirm
The exact number of Ukrainian refugees who have left Poland to return home or move to other countries could not be confirmed beyond the overall reduction in temporary protection status holders [1][3]. The precise causal link between the increase in reported attacks and specific disinformation campaigns or political statements was not fully detailed in the available records [6][15][16].

## Evidence cited
1. Unwelcomed In Poland? Ukrainian Refugees Say Rules, Not Hostility, Behind Their Exodus (rferl.org) — https://rferl.org/
2. Poland registers sharp decline in Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection - CEO.com.pl (ceo.com.pl) — https://ceo.com.pl/
3. Poland Cuts Number of Ukrainians Under Temporary Protection by Almost 14,000 - Eurostat | NAMPA (nampa.org) — https://nampa.org/
4. Poland phases out special support for Ukrainian refugees - TVP World (tvpworld.com) — https://tvpworld.com/
5. The number of Ukrainians with temporary protection in Poland fell by almost 15% in a year - Visit Ukraine (visitukraine.today) — https://visitukraine.today/
6. Russian Disinformation Campaigns Against Ukrainian Refugees in Poland - Warsaw Institute (warsawinstitute.org) — https://warsawinstitute.org/
7. Poland condemns Lviv region for declaring 2027 year of UPA - Notes From Poland (notesfrompoland.com) — https://notesfrompoland.com/
8. Russia's Disinformation War on Social Media and the Future of Ukrainian Refugees in European Host Countries | First Monday (firstmonday.org) — https://firstmonday.org/
9. Russian Disinformation in Poland and the Erosion of Support for Ukrainian Refugees (wpmucdn.com) — https://wpmucdn.com/
10. Defending Democracy in the Disinformation Age: Lessons from Ukraine's Neighbors (ifes.org) — https://ifes.org/
11. Zelenskyy loses Polish state honor over naming of Ukrainian army unit | AP News (AP News) — https://apnews.com/
12. Polish president strips Zelenskyy of state honor amid Ukraine-WWII row (aa.com.tr) — https://aa.com.tr/
13. Poland and Ukraine at odds over Volhynia massacres legacy amid common Russian threat | TVP World (YouTube) — https://youtube.com/
14. Ukrainian officials renounce Polish honours after Zelenskyy stripped of award | Euronews (euronews.com) — https://euronews.com/
15. Attacks on Ukrainians in Poland are Rising - ACLED (acleddata.com) — https://acleddata.com/
16. Attacks on Ukrainians in Poland increased by 30% in three years - Ambassador (rbc.ua) — https://rbc.ua/
17. Russia intensifies disinformation campaign against Ukraine in Poland - UNITED24.MEDIA (united24media.com) — https://united24media.com/
18. Ukraine's Consulate General in Wrocław is monitoring attack on Ukrainians in Poland - European Pravda (eurointegration.com.ua) — https://eurointegration.com.ua/
19. Russia has intensified anti-Ukrainian sentiment on the eve of Poland's Independence Day – CPD | UNN (unn.ua) — https://unn.ua/
20. The impact of Russian actions on Polish-Ukrainian relations - lublin.eu (lublin.pl) — https://lublin.pl/
21. Poland Presidential Elections 2025: Russia exploits anti-Ukrainian sentiment | ISD (isdglobal.org) — https://isdglobal.org/
22. What was the Volhynia tragedy? - English Section - polskieradio.pl (polskieradio.pl) — https://polskieradio.pl/
23. Hostility toward Ukrainian refugees is growing in Poland — PBS NewsHour – UA.NEWS (ua.news) — https://ua.news/
24. Ukrainian refugees face growing hostility in Poland - WKAR (wkar.org) — https://wkar.org/
25. Poland phases out special support for Ukrainian refugees (europa.eu) — https://europa.eu/
26. Poland: Updates on changes to the national legal framework applicable to persons granted temporary protection from Ukraine (26 January 2026) - Poland | ReliefWeb (UNHCR) — https://unhcr.org/
27. Changes to regulations concerning Ukrainian citizens in Poland | DLA Piper (dlapiper.com) — https://dlapiper.com/
28. Important changes in the regulations concerning citizens of Ukraine - Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej (interwencjaprawna.pl) — https://interwencjaprawna.pl/
29. Polish-Ukrainian Historical Disputes over the Volhynian Massacres (volhyniamassacre.eu) — https://volhyniamassacre.eu/
30. Attack on Ukrainians in Poland: eight men assaulted three in Radom after argument about Volhynia tragedy (pravda.com.ua) — https://pravda.com.ua/
31. Poland: Rise in xenophobia targets Ukrainian children - European Interest (europeaninterest.eu) — https://europeaninterest.eu/
32. Changes in legislation regarding Ukrainian refugees in Poland as of March 2026 – Ukraine is Home (ukraineishome.org) — https://ukraineishome.org/
33. Poland’s 2025 Presidential Election: A Turning Point for Europe? (opencanada.org) — https://opencanada.org/
34. 2025 Polish presidential election - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org) — https://wikipedia.org/
35. 2025 presidential elections in Poland: What are the implications for the country and the EU? (epc.eu) — https://epc.eu/
36. Poland’s 2025 Presidential Election – Research Briefing (parliament.uk) — https://parliament.uk/