Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials have made repeated statements in recent weeks blaming Poland — which was the first victim of World War II — for some role in sparking the conflict. The Russian comments have also sought to stress Polish anti-Semitism as a trigger for the conflict. World War II began in 1939 when Poland was invaded first by Nazi Germany , then by the Soviet Union two weeks later. While anti-Semitism was rampant in pre-war Poland among nationalists and those on the right, there were also Poles who opposed it. Half of the 6 million citizens that Poland lost in the war were Jewish.

Source: Washington Post January 16, 2020 12:11 UTC