What it’s about
Financial Times writes that Poland is preparing a legal case against Russia for crimes committed during Soviet rule — a move that echoes the demand to Germany for €1.3 trillion in reparations for World War II. This is not an emotional gesture: at the instruction of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the Institute of War Losses has launched an investigation intended to establish the scale and cost of the Soviet occupation.
"This investigation will be much more extensive than the work on the report about Nazi brutality."
— Bartosz Gondek, director of the Institute of War Losses
Why this is happening now
The explanation is simple and at the same time complex: first, there are fewer witnesses of Soviet repressions — time is working against memory. Second, the political context: after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, interest across Europe in restoring the historical account of Soviet crimes has increased. Third, Poland’s policy and the government’s focus have shifted toward issues of justice and reparations.
"Poland is at the beginning of the path of establishing Soviet crimes and faces the last chance to collect testimonies from people who lived through the Soviet decades."
— Jakub Stefaniak, deputy head of the Prime Minister's Office
Legal and practical barriers
The project will face real problems: lack of access to Russian archives, documents that have been destroyed or falsified, and the difficulty of quantitatively assessing long-term economic and demographic losses. Gondek himself acknowledges that the case will be long-term — this is not a press exercise, but years and decades of work.
Parallels with the German case are important: Berlin rejected official claims, citing post-war agreements, but at the same time individual measures by German authorities — memorials, the return of artifacts — show that questions of memory and restoring justice can be addressed outside legal instruments.
What this means for Ukraine
For Ukraine, Warsaw’s initiative has several dimensions. First, it is a question of historical truth: holding Russia accountable for systemic crimes bolsters the international narrative and legal basis for holding the aggressor responsible. Second, it is a potential precedent for recovering compensation from identified aggressor states, which could be relevant to Ukrainian plans for reparations.
Third, such a move will have geopolitical consequences: Moscow will undoubtedly react, risking an escalation of tensions in relations. For Ukraine, this means that questions of legal accountability will be accompanied by demands for increased diplomatic and security support from partners.
Brief outlook
This is a long process with many uncertainties: gathering evidence, legal battles, political pressure. But Poland’s determination to launch such an investigation matters — it changes the terms of the debate about responsibility for historical crimes in Europe. For the Ukrainian reader the main point is this: issues of justice and security are closely linked, and international precedents can work toward our common goal — holding the aggressor accountable and restoring justice.
Summary: Warsaw’s initiative is not only a story about compensation. It is a political and legal challenge to Moscow, a signal to Europe, and a potential tool for strengthening international accountability for aggression. Whether other states will follow Poland’s example is a question whose answer will depend on political will, access to evidence, and the patience of legal systems.
