When a country is trying very hard to delete you from existence for hundreds of years it's very hard to not be suspicious of that country. Poland lost 20% of population in WWII started by Germany and Soviet Russia. Every fifth person dead.

You may also notice that Poland and Ukraine are on perfectly friendly terms with Germany. Because Germany came to terms with Nazism and Holocaust.

But Russia never gave up on their imperialism. It wasn't even until 2011 that Russia admitted that Stalin ordered Katyń Massacre despite clear and direct orders in Russian archives.

It's really hundreds of years of Russia trying to subjugate us. Russia partitioned Poland in 1795. We've been subject to forced russification. Despite many brutally crashed uprisings and revolutions we did not regain independence for 123 years. Then after WWI we got almost immediately plunged in war with Soviet Union due to unsettled borders and them wanting to spread communist revolution to the west. Then we got attacked by both Germans and Soviets in 1939. Last Russian soldiers left Poland in 1993.

Behavior of Russian soldiers did not change from WWII till this day. What my grandmother lived trough during WWII is happening now in Ukraine. Senseless killing of civilians and mass rapes of women and children. That's exactly what my grandmother remembers.

It's not a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's like telling a women beaten by a husband that she did not make enough attempt at appeasing him.

Even damn Pushkin "To the Slanderers of Russia" from 1831 describes Russian attitude today very well.

Why rave ye, babblers, so — ye lords of popular wonder?
Why such anathemas ‘gainst Russia do you thunder?
What moves your idle rage? Is’t Poland’s fallen pride?
‘T is but Slavonic kin among themselves contending,
An ancient household strife, oft judged but still unending,
A question which, be sure, you never can decide.

Which shall stand fast in such commotion
The haughty Liakh, or faithful Russ?
And shall Slavonic streams meet in a Russian ocean? –
Or il’t dry up? This is point for us.

Leave us!: Your eyes are all unable
To read our history’s bloody table;

Ye’re bold of tongue — but hark, would ye in deed but try it
Or is the hero, now reclined in laurelled quiet,
Too weak to fix once more, Izmail’s red bayonet?
Or hath the Russian Tsar ever, in vain commanded?
Or must we meet all Europe banded?
Have we forgot to conquer yet?

https://russianuniverse.org/2014/09/24/slanderers-of-russia/

Even what you read in poems like Reduta Ordona from 1832 after November Uprising could very well describe today. Just replace Polish references with Ukrainian:

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-tribute-to-adam-mickiewic...

When Turks beyond the Balkans are threatened by your bronze,
When the Paris legation lick the feet of yours, -
Warsaw alone your power hurls abuse at,
Raises its hand on you and takes off the ‘hat',
The crown of Kazimierz, Chrobry Dynasty of your head,
Because you son of Wasil, have stolen it and with blood stained!

The tsar is surprised - the Petersburg men shiver in fear,
The tsar gets angry - out of fear die his courtiers;
But the armies pour, who's God and faith
The tsar is - angry tsar: we die, we'll amuse him.