Russian Official Claims Poland Hindered Soviet Efforts to Prevent WWII

Russian Archival Head Cites Documents on Poland's Pre-WWII Role

Andrey Artizov, the head of Russia's Federal Archive Agency, has asserted that historical documents indicate Poland actively hindered the Soviet Union's efforts to prevent the outbreak of World War Two. Speaking to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on January 16-17, 2026, Artizov stated that a comprehensive study of WWII history, conducted 'at the behest of the Russian president,' uncovered evidence of Poland's obstructionist role.

Details of the Allegations from French Archives

Artizov's claims are based on documents reportedly sourced from French archives. These materials were seized by German forces in 1940 and subsequently obtained by the Soviet Union at the end of the war. Among them were files from the French embassy and military attaché in Warsaw.

According to Artizov, these documents reveal 'the Poles' opposition to negotiations between France, Britain, and the USSR for an alliance against the Nazis, against Hitler.' He further elaborated, 'The Poles interfered right up until the very end' and 'we couldn't reach an agreement,' suggesting that Poland's actions prevented the formation of a united front against Nazi Germany.

Context of Russia's Historical Narrative

These remarks by Artizov align with a 'longstanding revisionist narrative' promoted by President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian figures. This narrative often suggests that Poland, despite being one of the war's greatest victims, bears some responsibility for its outbreak.

Artizov noted that the materials he referenced also informed an essay written by Putin in 2020, marking the 75th anniversary of the war's end. In that text, the Russian president claimed that Poland 'did its utmost to hamper the establishment of a collective security system in Europe' in the years leading up to the conflict. Artizov also defended the Soviet leadership's actions, stating there's 'no need to be ashamed of the policy pursued by Stalin, Molotov, and others' at the time, implicitly referring to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

Poland's Rejection of Claims

Polish authorities have consistently and repeatedly rejected such claims as 'distorted or outright false.' Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany on September 1, 1939, marking the beginning of WWII, and subsequently by the Soviet Union on September 17, 1939, as part of the secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Poland views itself as a primary victim of aggression from both powers during the conflict.