The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on the scandal surrounding the UPA
This was stated to Suspilne journalists by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi.
The Foreign Ministry has called for the dialogue between Ukraine and Poland not to be undermined
According to Tykhyi, Ukraine has taken note of the sharp reaction that emerged in Poland following the signing of the relevant decree. He recalled that over the past year and a half, Kyiv and Warsaw have been working to resolve complex issues relating to their shared past. In particular, the process of searches and exhumations has been resumed, as has the work of the Congress of Historians.
“Our history confirms that only Moscow stands to gain from disputes between Ukrainians and Poles,” noted the Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
For Ukrainian military personnel, the UPA is a symbol of the struggle against Moscow
Tykhyi emphasised that the servicemen who initiated the awarding of the unit’s honorary name did not intend to offend the Polish people. According to him, for Ukrainian military personnel, the UPA primarily symbolises the struggle against Soviet and Russian imperial policies. The spokesperson also recalled that the history of Ukrainians and Poles has included not only tragic chapters but also examples of joint struggle against Moscow. As an example, he cited the Hrubieszów operation of 1946, during which Ukrainian insurgents and the Polish underground fought together against NKVD forces.
What preceded it
On 26 May, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree awarding the ‘North’ Special Operations Centre the honorary title ‘of the Heroes of the UPA’. Following this decision, a number of Polish politicians and public figures voiced their criticism. In particular, representatives of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, as well as former Polish President Lech Wałęsa, reacted negatively. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that Kyiv remains open to dialogue with Warsaw regarding the complex chapters of shared history and is not interested in escalating tensions between the two countries.
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