A TikTok video showing children singing the song “Ojciec Nasz Bandera” (“Our Father Bandera”) went viral on social media, sparking outrage due to claims that it was filmed at a Polish school in Warsaw. Polish fact-checkers from Demagog examined the context of the video, debunking the disinformation that fueled heated debates.

A video spread on TikTok and other social media platforms shows children performing the Ukrainian song “Batko nash Bandera” (“Our Father Bandera”) in a classroom. The description claimed that the recording was made at a Polish school in Warsaw, accompanied by provocative comments such as: “In a Polish school in Warsaw, children sing that Bandera is a hero. Mr. President, are Poles still in first place?” The video garnered nearly one million views, more than 18,400 likes, and 1,300 comments, sparking outrage among users who believed the false information.

Several elements in the video immediately raise doubts about its alleged origin:

Using image search tools, fact-checkers from Demagog found the original video, which was published on June 5, 2024, on the official TikTok profile of the Ukrainian band Endzhi Kreida. The band performed the song “Batko nash, Bandera” during a charity concert, and fact-checkers contacted the band’s manager to clarify the details.

The manager of Endzhi Kreida denied that the video was filmed in Poland. “The recording was made during one of approximately 80 charity concerts we held in Ukraine to support morale and raise funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During that period, we did not perform in Poland. Our only concert in Poland took place in the summer of 2022 in Kraków, outdoors. We understand that Bandera is a sensitive topic for Poland, so we do not perform this song there in order to avoid provocations. We value Poland’s support in our struggle and have no intention of inciting hostility”.

The band’s manager confirmed that the video was filmed at Secondary School No. 3 (Levels I–III), a lyceum, in the city of Smila, Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine. An additional photograph from the event was provided, confirming the filming location. The children’s faces in the photo were anonymized for privacy reasons.

The claim that children are singing “Our Father Bandera” at a Polish school in Warsaw is false. The video was filmed in Ukraine, in Smila, during a charity concert by the band Endzhi Kreida. The Ukrainian flag, the interior of the venue, and the band’s official statements all refute the disinformation. This case highlights the importance of verifying sources before sharing information on social media in order to avoid manipulation and the spread of hate speech.