Poland Moves to Revoke Zelenskyy’s Top Honor Over WWII-Era Army Naming Dispute
The dispute centers on the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a group associated with mass killings of ethnic Poles during World War II. Polish officials argue that honoring references to the UPA is incompatible with historical reconciliation between the two countries.
Zelenskyy had previously signed a decree on May 26 granting an honorary designation to a Ukrainian special operations unit linked to the phrase “Heroes of the UPA,” describing the move as part of restoring historical military traditions in Ukraine. The decision triggered strong political backlash in Poland.
President Nawrocki stated that he would begin procedures to strip Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest state award, which had been granted after the outbreak of Russia’s war in 2022. According to reports, he said: “This decision wounds the memory of the victims,” arguing that the gesture toward the UPA undermines reconciliation efforts.
Polish Foreign Ministry officials have also criticized the decision, saying it harms the memory of victims and complicates diplomatic dialogue between Warsaw and Kyiv.
The UPA remains a deeply sensitive historical issue in Polish-Ukrainian relations. Between 1943 and 1945, its fighters carried out violent campaigns against Polish civilians in regions such as Volhynia and Eastern Galicia, resulting in an estimated 100,000 deaths according to Polish historical assessments.
In Ukraine, however, some view the UPA differently, considering it part of the broader struggle for national independence against both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War.
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