Most Poles see Russian threat, few think it is growing

Almost three in four Poles regard Russia as a danger, but fewer than a third believe the threat is increasing, an IBRiS poll for the daily Rzeczpospolita showed on Friday.

File photo: Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov observe the Centre-2026 military exercises at the Chebarkul range in Chelyabinsk Region, Russia October 2, 2026.

Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS

Some 44.8% of respondents said the threat was steady and 31.1% said it was growing. Another 12.6% saw no threat at all and 8.8% thought it was diminishing.

Views split sharply along political lines, the newspaper said. Supporters of the centrist governing camp, especially those who voted for Rafał Trzaskowski and Magdalena Biejat in 2025, widely felt growing pressure from Moscow. Right-wing populist party Confederation’s supporters took a very different view, and none of the voters backing far-right Grzegorz Braun saw the threat rising.

Age also made a difference. People aged 40-49 were the only group in which nearly half, 46.3%, said the threat was falling or absent, with far fewer downplaying the risk in other age brackets, the paper said.

The poll was conducted by telephone on October 16-17 among 1,068 people.

(jh)

Source: PAP