A former Polish deputy minister and member of parliament sparked controversy Monday after travelling to Belarus and providing first aid kits for Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine while encouraging other Poles to support the initiative, according to local media reports.
Krzysztof Tolwinski, a former deputy treasury minister in a Law and Justice (PiS) party led government and now leader of the pro-Russian Front party, released footage of the donation following a visit to Belarus in late June.
The reports said Tolwinski bought 20 military first aid kits in Belarus and handed them to Oleh Haidukevich, chairman of the pro-regime Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus, for delivery to Russian troops fighting against Ukraine.
In a social media post, Tolwinski described the donation as a symbolic gesture and accused the Polish state and much of Polish society of behaving shamefully over the war. He said the aid was intended for Russian soldiers fighting what he described as “Nazism” and “Banderite ideology,” echoing narratives regularly used by Moscow to justify its invasion of Ukraine. He also encouraged Poles to join the initiative.
The case has attracted attention from Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office. RMF FM reported that prosecutors had been asked whether Tolwinski’s actions could have legal consequences.
Tolwinski has for years been associated with pro-Russian and pro-Belarusian positions. His Front party has sought ties with political groups loyal to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, while Tolwinski has repeatedly appeared in Belarusian media criticizing Polish policy towards Russia and Belarus.
In April, a Polish court found Tolwinski guilty in a case concerning anti-Ukrainian statements he made on social media in 2022.
The latest incident comes amid heightened concern in Poland over Russian influence operations and pro-Kremlin activity. Warsaw has repeatedly accused Moscow of conducting a broad hybrid campaign involving espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
