Kraków shooting becomes a target for Russian propaganda

The article describes the case as a Polish tragedy and an example of the creativity Russian propaganda brings to breaking news. It says that, regardless of the facts, campaigns seek interpretations favourable to the Kremlin’s interests.

Michał Oksiński, 24, killed his parents and sister at home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, then drove to central Kraków, where he shot dead six people: four Polish nationals, a Briton and an Austrian. Sixteen others were wounded.

After images of Oksiński and items in his car boot appeared in the media, Russian propagandists focused on a patch on his bullet-resistant vest. The image showed a modern version of the flag associated with early-18th-century pirate Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard. The article says the patch is widely used as a morale patch in the West today.

Russian propagandists quickly identified it as the insignia of Forward Observations Group, a US military lifestyle brand whose representatives travelled to Ukraine during the Russian-Ukrainian war. The article says that interpretation was wrong.