Six Polish, Ukrainian Outlets Urge Calm in UPA Row as Rift Risks Aiding Russia
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jun 23
Six Polish, Ukrainian Outlets Urge Calm in UPA Row as Rift Risks Aiding Russia
3 articles · Updated · Kyiv Independent · Jun 23
Summary
Six Polish and Ukrainian media outlets issued a joint appeal on June 23, warning that the worsening bilateral crisis is souring public attitudes and could help Russia split the two neighbors.
The appeal follows Kyiv’s decision to name a military unit after the UPA, a World War II-era nationalist force that Ukraine links to anti-Moscow resistance but Poland chiefly associates with the 1943-45 Volyn massacres.
That dispute escalated after Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Volodymyr Zelensky of Poland’s highest state honor, prompting several current and former Ukrainian officials to return their Polish awards.
The signatories said historical reckoning should follow Russia’s defeat, arguing that Ukraine has resisted Russian aggression for 12 years while Poland’s support since 2022—including sheltering nearly 2 million refugees—makes preserving solidarity strategically vital.
As Poland and Ukraine clash over history, is their vital alliance against Russia starting to fracture?
Will the Polish-Ukrainian 'history war' become Russia's greatest non-military victory?
Poland–Ukraine Diplomatic Crisis: How the UPA-Volhynia Historical Dispute Threatens 2024 Recovery Conference and EU Integration
Overview
The report examines the recent diplomatic crisis between Poland and Ukraine, rooted in conflicting historical narratives about the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the World War II-era Volhynia massacres, where an estimated 100,000 Polish civilians were killed. While Ukraine views the UPA as freedom fighters for independence, Poland sees them as perpetrators of genocide, officially recognized by the Polish Parliament in 2016. This deep historical divide resurfaced when Ukrainian authorities honored UPA figures, prompting symbolic retaliations and escalating tensions. The crisis highlights how unresolved history and national memory continue to shape modern relations and complicate efforts for reconciliation and cooperation.