In early February 2023, a photo of a billboard with the inscription “To Nisza Wojna”, allegedly made in the Polish city of Chenstokhov, dispersed on the Internet. We checked the authenticity of this picture.

According to the news, the Polish edition of Na: TEMAT, citing political activist Leshek Sykulsky, reported the appearance of “anti -Ukrainian” advertising billboards on the streets of the city of Chenstokhov. On posters with the inscription “This is not our war”, a man was depicted in camouflage pants against the background of the flags of Ukraine and Russia, and the leg on the Ukrainian side was a prosthesis. Sykulsky allegedly stated that such billboards would be hung throughout Poland.

The message was accompanied by a photograph of the above billboard against the background of a large city highway. This information (in some cases - without a picture) on the night of February 5 was distributed "News""Komsomolskaya Truth","Ren-TV""Gazeta.ru" Pravda.ru, Lenta.ru and other Russian media. Large Telegram channels also shared her "Bullet","Work, brothers!","Ukraine.ru","Moving Militias of New Russia" And "Russian newspaper | News".

Indeed, February 2 on the Polish information resource Na: Temat appeared article With the heading "" This is not our war. " The former man Materevich (ex-Minister of Defense of Poland.-Approx. Ed.) Begins the anti-Ukrainian campaign. " The text talked about the initiative of the local activist Leshek Sykulsky, who decided to campaign against the drawing of Poland into the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The article had a link to the placed on January 31 tweet Sykulsky with a photograph already familiar to us and the signature “This is not our war! Soon such advertising shields will be throughout Poland. #Polishruchantywar I invite you to the grand opening in Czstookhov this Friday. ”

In the absence of additional data, it can really conclude that the billboard appeared in the city of Chenstokhov, and on Friday, February 3, there will be a grand opening of either itself, or similar banners. However, the study of the information on the hashtag #polskyruchanywojenny allows us to conclude that under the grand opening (the original uses the word Inauguracja) meant past On February 3, in Chenstokhov, the constituent congress of the organization entitled "Polish anti -war movement". The next day Leshki Syakulsky Shared On your twitter video from the event. As can be seen in personnel, the initiative participants are opposed to the “Americanization of Poland”.

As for Leshek Sykulsky himself, in recent years in Poland he Known First of all, by the promotion of Russian pro -government political narratives. Some programs On his YouTube channel are dedicated to the Russian philosopher and political scientist Alexander Dugin, and in 2019 they even MeetWhat Sykulsky was talking about in his social networks. The propaganda activities of Sykulsky were repeatedly subjected to Criticism From the Polish officials. Which is characteristic, the site of the Polish anti -war movement a few days after the congress was Blocked.

As for the location of the billboard, the same photo with the signature “Free Matcage of the External Advertising Shield” is easy to find on the site Mediamodifier.com. In the place of the template on the shield right on the site you can insert your photo. Under the picture it is said: “You ask what kind of city this is? This is Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The photograph here is taken on the main road at rush hour. ” Moreover, the layout was published, according to the signature, on November 2, 2016. Judging by Twitter Leshek Sykulsky, he Planned Use the mentioned image with Russian and Ukrainian flags as a basis for future billboards and other paraphernalia.

On February 6, our colleagues from the Georgian edition "Myth detector»Contacted the representative of the municipal authorities of the Chenstokhovs by the indemnity of Tutai. He stated that, according to the city hall, there are no such billboards in the city, and the photograph was not taken in Czstookhov. Journalists Gazeta Wyborcza specifiedthat the location of the photograph is one of the sections of the Tartu highway at the entrance to Tallinn from the airport. See This angle can be using the Google Street View service. As of February 15, we could not find new advertising shields with the mentioned poster in Constokhov and the surroundings.

Thus, a number of media incorrectly interpreted the publication of activist Leshek Sykulsky as a message about an already placed billboard in the city of Chenstokhov. Note that the image of another advertising shield with a campaign poster is also published Sykulsky on January 31 and also created on the basis of stock templateI have not received such popularity on the Internet.

Photo on the cover: Twitter