An ugly chapter of World War II history is causing tensions between Poland and Ukraine, straining relations as the two countries seek to deepen their cooperation against Russia. On May 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky formally named a unit in the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces after “the heroes” of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). In Ukraine, the soldiers of the UPA are seen as patriots and freedom fighters, celebrated for their World War II-era struggle against Soviet occupation. In Poland, however, they are better remembered for carrying out what the Polish parliament has defined as a genocidal campaign against Polish civilians.
Just a week before Zelensky’s announcement, Ukraine also held a formal reburial ceremony for Andrii Melnyk, another deeply controversial figure. Alongside with Stepan Bandera, Melnyk co-founded the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), a right-wing political party intertwined with the UPA. There are discussions of reburying Bandera in a similar fashion next.
An ugly chapter of World War II history is causing tensions between Poland and Ukraine, straining relations as the two countries seek to deepen their cooperation against Russia. On May 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky formally named a unit in the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces after “the heroes” of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). In Ukraine, the soldiers of the UPA are seen as patriots and freedom fighters, celebrated for their World War II-era struggle against Soviet occupation. In Poland, however, they are better remembered for carrying out what the Polish parliament has defined as a genocidal campaign against Polish civilians.
