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Poland Condemns Ukraine's Naming of Special Forces Unit 'Heroes of UPA'

Poland's public condemnation risks straining political and security ties with Ukraine.

Overview

  • On May 27 President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the Separate Special Operations Center 'Pivnich' the honorary name 'Heroes of UPA', a move Kyiv says honors anti‑Soviet fighters and was chosen by servicemembers.
  • Poland's foreign ministry formally condemned the decision and senior Polish figures, including Sejm vice‑speaker Krzysztof Bosak and President Karol Nawrocki, publicly pushed symbolic and punitive responses.
  • Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Mishchenko met Poland's chargé d’affaires Piotr Lukasiewicz on June 2 to discuss public perceptions and to stress continued Polish support for Ukraine's defense.
  • Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sibiga on June 3 urged lowering tensions, professional historian‑to‑historian dialogue, and a focus on shared security interests to prevent the dispute from harming cooperation.
  • Both governments point to recent joint work on history and exhumations as a model for reconciliation and warn that any policy steps by Poland, such as blocking EU accession, remain public proposals rather than enacted measures.