Borrka, the differences between Prawosławny/Orthodox and Catholicism are not that great when cast alongside Islam and Hinduism, for example. I don't think religion played a major part.
Seanus there is no need for any great differences between religions to create conflicts and the best example is the Anglican Church versus Vatican or in general main forms of Protestantism as confronted with Catholicism.
Catholic versus Orthodoxy was an issue for hundreds years, perhaps of less importance today.
But there was always a lot of politics behind religion.
The Russian elite saw the Polish elite as an emerging threat. That's why Katyń happened.
I would be very careful linking Katyn to Russian problems with Polish elite.
For sur there is some Russian responsibility for crimes of communism but frankly they have lost any control over it.
Remember Goethe's "Der Zauberlehrling" ?
Please present some ideas and views of the abovementioned authors, Borrka.
Are you expecting a PhD work in field of Russian literature from me lol ?
I've got some better idea.
Just read this lecture on Pushkin - it's exactly the way (many) Poles are thinking about Russian intelligentsia's attitude towards Poland.
Great reading:
https://books.google.pl/books?id=ZhWR_QrNxF8C&pg=PA59&lpg=PA59&dq=Pushkin,+borodino&source=bl&ots=1ruRGH0aUf&sig=zJt6yqT7Y5Tl_pBTq7IQ_1r8dRo&hl=pl&ei=Grb_SuGhDZyb_QbW27mKCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result#v=onepage&q=Pushkin%2C%20borodino&f=falseAny questions - you're welcomed.