Lead

The Ukrainian parliament has passed a law establishing a 'national pantheon,' a move that has further strained relations with Poland over the legacy of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The law, which passed with 287 votes in favor, according to parliament member Yaroslav Zheleznyak, could potentially see the reburial of individuals associated with the UPA, an organization that Poland holds responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 Polish nationals in the Volyn region in 1943.

The decision comes amid an ongoing dispute between Kyiv and Warsaw sparked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to name a Ukrainian army unit after the 'heroes of the UPA.' Polish President Karol Nawrocki responded by stripping Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state award. In turn, a number of Ukrainian officials, including former presidents, have renounced Polish state awards.

Coverage Comparison

TASS, the Russian state news agency, has covered the story extensively, framing the events as a consequence of Zelensky's historical policy. The agency's reports quote Polish politicians who are critical of Ukraine's actions, including former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Law and Justice Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. TASS also notes that the UPA is recognized as an extremist organization and banned in Russia.

The coverage highlights a new round of escalation between Warsaw and Kyiv, with the pantheon law and the naming of the military unit after the UPA serving as flashpoints. TASS places these events in the context of Ukraine's ongoing candidacy for EU membership, which has been under consideration since the summer of 2022.

Key Claims

  • Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada passed a law establishing a national pantheon, a move that could potentially see the reburial of Nazi collaborators from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), as reported by TASS.
  • Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated that Ukraine would bear the consequences of Zelensky's decision to create a national 'pantheon of heroes' glorifying the UPA. He argued that the 'cult of the UPA' weakens Ukraine's authority, complicates relations with allies, and distances Ukraine from Western integration.
  • On May 26, Zelensky renamed the Separate Special Operations Center North under the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Special Operations Forces after the 'heroes of the UPA,' a decision that sparked strong backlash in Poland.
  • Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle in response to the naming of the army unit after the 'heroes of the UPA.'
  • Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the Polish opposition Law and Justice Party, said that Ukraine should not be accepted into the European Union if it continues to glorify Stepan Bandera and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (OUN-UPA). He called for a boycott of the actions of Donald Tusk's government aimed at Ukraine's accession to the EU on 'privileged terms.'
  • Ukraine has been a candidate for EU membership since the summer of 2022, according to TASS.

Perspectives

Russian Government/State Media (TASS): The coverage from TASS emphasizes the potential consequences of Ukraine's historical policy, describing the UPA as an 'extremist organization' and 'Nazi collaborators.' The agency quotes Polish politicians who view Ukraine's actions as a threat to its Western integration and EU membership prospects.

Polish Political Leadership (Morawiecki and Kaczynski): Former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski both condemn Ukraine's glorification of the UPA, with Morawiecki warning that Ukraine will ultimately be harmed by such policies and Kaczynski vowing to block Ukraine's EU membership if the glorification continues.

Ukrainian Government (via Zelensky's actions and parliament's law): The Ukrainian government, through President Zelensky's decision to name a military unit after the UPA and the parliament's passage of the national pantheon law, asserts its sovereign right to determine which heroes to honor, as reflected in Zelensky's statement that 'no one will tell Ukraine which heroes it should honor.'