Debunk: TV channel did not air a map of Poland which includes Ukrainian territories

The map has caused controversy to the point that Polish government officials reacted to the fake photo
The map has caused controversy to the point that Polish government officials reacted to the fake photo Copyright Euronews
By Sophia Khatsenkova
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The TV channel released a statement claiming they never aired a weather segment showing western regions of Ukraine as part of Poland's territory

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A fake map allegedly showing a weather broadcast from the Polish TV channel TVP1 has been circulating on social media these past few days. 

Although it might initially look like an ordinary weather segment, many Twitter users have noticed there is an inaccuracy in the border between Poland and Ukraine. 

On the screenshots, Poland’s territory extends well into Ukraine, encroaching onto the Western part including Lviv.

This has pushed many social media users to suggest that Warsaw is planning to annex land from Ukraine. 

This map was also picked up by pro-Kremlin Russian news outlets and other pro-Russian Telegram accounts

However these images have been photoshopped as the Polish channel TVP1 explains in a statement

The channel insists it never aired such a segment, going as far as calling the doctored image "Kremlin propaganda."

Another detail that shows that this map has been faked is that it doesn’t use the Polish diacritics.These are accents seen above certain letters in the Polish language. 

Moreover, when looking at a real weather broadcast from TVP1, many social media users have noticed that the set-up is different from the faked screenshots.

Others have pointed out that the presenter used in the doctored photo comes from another Polish TV channel.

As you can see here, she is wearing the same dress and posing in the same way but this broadcast dates back to 2020.

That means her likeness was probably stolen and pasted over a photoshopped background. 

Even Polish government officials have weighed in on this fake image with Stanisław Żaryn, the Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland giving an interview to the Polish Press Agency.

“The Kremlin's information activities are still focused on three vectors - making Ukraine and Ukrainians look bad, saying that showing support for Ukraine could be a factor that could escalate the war, and scaring people with the vision of Poland entering the war and its possible consequences," he explained. 

This has been a frequent theme when it comes to disinformation surrounding the war in Ukraine. 

On Monday, Żaryn tweeted that “Russia has been attacking Poland for months, propagating lies about allegedly aggressive plans to unleash war in Europe, attacking Belarus & Russia and preparing occupation of Ukraine."

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