# Polish-Ukrainian ethnic tensions and harassment

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/polish-ukrainian-ethnic-tensions-and-harassment
> Updated: 2026-08-16T08:48:16.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

Tensions between Polish and Ukrainian nationals have surfaced through reports of verbal and physical hostility. In early August, video footage emerged from a customs terminal in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, showing Ukrainian drivers verbally assaulting Polish truck drivers delivering aid. The footage captured the use of profanities and derogatory terms, such as ‘pszeki’, alongside threats against the Polish drivers.

Following these reports, concerns were raised regarding a growing climate of mutual stereotyping and fear. By mid-August, the Consulate General of Ukraine in Gdańsk reported a violent incident in Bydgoszcz, Poland, where two Ukrainian children were allegedly attacked by two adults in a park. The victims, aged 12 and 14, were reportedly targeted for speaking Ukrainian and were subjected to physical violence and insults. Polish police are investigating the attack, which the consulate has condemned as an act of xenophobia.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-16: Bydgoszcz: Two Ukrainian children attacked by adults

Two Ukrainian children were physically attacked and verbally abused by two adults in Bydgoszcz, Poland, reportedly due to the language they were speaking. Police are searching for the suspects.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bydgoszcz-two-ukrainian-children-attacked-by-adults

### 2026-08-02: Polish drivers harassed by Ukrainians at Vinnytsia customs terminal

Ukrainian drivers verbally attacked Polish aid truckers at a Vinnytsia customs terminal, using slurs and threats; activist Natalia Panczenko reports Ukrainian children facing abuse in Poland, highlighting deep‑

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/polish-drivers-harassed-by-ukrainians-at-vinnytsia-customs-terminal

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Cite as: Polish-Ukrainian ethnic tensions and harassment. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/polish-ukrainian-ethnic-tensions-and-harassment