Smashed heads after an argument over music: what happened to Ukrainians in Poland
Victims describe it as an attack, police describe it as a fight: accounts of the incident diverge
In the evening of 1 August 2026 an incident occurred in the Polish town of Kożuchów, located approximately 30 kilometres from Zielona Góra in the Lubusz Voivodeship, in which three Ukrainian citizens were injured.
A journalist from inPoland.net.pl spoke with the victims – 37-year-old Volodymyr, 32-year-old Vasyl and 28-year-old Adelina. According to them, at about 21:25 they were sitting by a parked car on the private grounds of a hostel where mostly Ukrainians live. Ukrainian, Polish and foreign music was playing in the car. As Vasyl said, one of the passers-by began to complain about the music. A verbal argument arose between him and Volodymyr. According to the victims, the man shouted the insulting demand to return to Ukraine, after which he called someone. A few minutes later several more people came up to the hostel. The victims claim the attackers began beating them without warning.
As a result of the clash Adelina and Volodymyr sustained head injuries; the man also had a split lip. Vasyl said he was less hurt because he tried to protect himself from the blows.
“I didn’t say anything at all and immediately got hit in the head,” – Adelina told the journalist from inPoland.net.pl.
According to the woman, after the blow she began to bleed, developed a large hematoma and suffered severe headache. She did not see what exactly hit her. The police arrived approximately five minutes after the call. Almost simultaneously an ambulance crew arrived. According to the victims, one of them was taken to hospital.
On 2 August the Ukrainians gave testimony. Police photographed the bodily injuries and began preparing the case materials. The victims also reported a surveillance camera on a neighbouring building that could have recorded the incident. At the same time the spokesperson for the Lubusz Voivodeship police, Maciej Kimet, told Radio ZET that three Ukrainian citizens and three Polish citizens were involved in the incident. According to the police’s preliminary version, the conflict arose over loud music and a possible violation of night-time quiet.
After the first interview the police did not preliminarily confirm a national motive for the incident. According to the spokesperson, the people being sought by law enforcement left the scene. At the time of his comment none of the participants were in hospital.
The Consulate General of Ukraine in Wrocław reported that it is monitoring the situation, maintaining contact with the victims and with Polish competent authorities.
“The Consulate General strongly condemns any manifestations of hatred, violence and aggression,” – the diplomatic mission said.
The consulate is ready to provide the victims with necessary assistance within its powers. Ukrainians in Poland were urged to stay calm, not to respond to possible provocations and, in case of unlawful actions, to immediately contact the police and Ukrainian diplomats.
Reminder: we previously wrote:
- Police are considering a national motive: Ukrainians beaten near a shop in Wrocław
- Broken nose and spinal injury: in Poland a group of young men beat a Ukrainian youth
- In Przasnysz two locals with a machete wounded Ukrainians because of their nationality
- A Ukrainian teenager was taken to intensive care after a brutal beating by a group of Poles
- In central Warsaw a 27-year-old Pole with a knife attacked a Ukrainian on a tram
