Ukraine plans to begin exhumation of Volyn tragedy victims

The Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance (UINP), in response to requests from Polish citizens, plans to begin the search and exhumation of Polish remains in Rivne Oblast in 2025. [The Volyn (Volhynia) tragedy was a series of events that led to the ethnic cleansing of the Polish and Ukrainian populations in 1943 during World War II. It was part of a long-standing rivalry between Ukrainians and Poles in what is now Ukraine's west. Poland considers the Volyn tragedy a genocide of Poles – ed.]

The institute noted that it received requests in September and intends to "include search operations in Rivne Oblast in the work plan and activities for 2025".

Anton Drobovych, the head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, emphasised that Ukraine remains open to cooperation with Polish institutions regarding the search, preservation and care of memory sites for both Ukrainians in Poland and Poles in Ukraine.

"However, given that official inter-institutional mechanisms for resolving problematic issues with the Polish side in the restoration and preservation of memory sites have not been in place for a long time... the UINP is inclined to meet the interests of Polish citizens," he said.

Drobovych said that if the Polish citizens provide the necessary clarifications on the location of potential search sites, the UINP will "try to help them despite the war and the difficult economic situation".

Although the statement does not specify who sent the request, European Pravda previously reported on an appeal by Karolina Romanowska, the chair of the Polish-Ukrainian Reconciliation Association, regarding the village of Uhly in the present-day Rivne Oblast.

The step towards Warsaw comes amid Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha's visit to Poland, where he participated in the Warsaw Security Forum and met with several Polish officials.