Zelensky Honors UPA Unit, Reburies OUN Leader as WWII Moves Roil Poland-Ukraine Ties
Updated
Updated · FRANCE 24 English · Jun 7
Zelensky Honors UPA Unit, Reburies OUN Leader as WWII Moves Roil Poland-Ukraine Ties
1 articles · Updated · FRANCE 24 English · Jun 7
Summary
A May 26 decree gave an elite Ukrainian special-forces unit the honorary title “Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army,” and Zelensky a day earlier presided over the state reburial of OUN leader Andriy Melnyk near Kyiv.
The moves hit a raw nerve in Poland because the UPA is blamed there for massacres that killed tens of thousands of Poles and Jews in Volhynia and eastern Galicia, while Melnyk is associated with wartime collaboration with Nazi Germany.
Polish backlash was swift: former president Lech Walesa said he removed a Ukrainian flag badge, ex-prime minister Leszek Miller likened the decree to honoring Nazi death squads, and President Karol Nawrocki urged stripping Zelensky of Poland’s top state honor.
The dispute revives a long-running historical wound just as Ukraine’s four-year war with Russia has intensified efforts to recast nationalist figures as symbols of independence, despite their deeply contested wartime records.
Zelensky signaled more such commemorations may follow, calling Melnyk’s reburial “only the first step” as Kyiv also seeks the return of other OUN figures’ remains, including Stepan Bandera.
As Ukraine honors WWII nationalists, is its crucial alliance with Poland about to fracture?
Can a nation build its future on heroes with a history of genocide and Nazi collaboration?
Ukraine’s 2026 State Honors for Andriy Melnyk: International Backlash, Memory Politics, and Geopolitical Fallout
Overview
In late May 2026, Ukraine reburied Andriy Melnyk with full state honors, sparking a severe international backlash. This move immediately exposed deep-seated historical tensions and challenged Ukraine’s diplomatic partnerships. Poland reacted strongly, with its president supporting the removal of a top honor from President Zelensky, highlighting the fragile foundations of the Polish-Ukrainian relationship and unresolved historical issues. Israel also condemned the reburial, adding to the controversy. These reactions show how Ukraine’s decision not only reignited old disputes but also risked weakening crucial alliances at a critical time.