Polish Defense Minister to Visit Volhynia for Massacre Anniversary Amid Tensions

Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz is set to visit Volhynia on Saturday to honor the victims of the Volhynia massacre, marking the 83rd anniversary of "Bloody Sunday." This visit comes at a time when historical issues are again straining relations between Poland and Ukraine.

Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed his attendance at the memorial events, organized annually by the Bishop of Lutsk, Vitaliy Skomarowski. He stated, "Our thoughts and prayers will be with all those who died simply for being Polish. The victims cry not for revenge but for memory and truth."

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Tomorrow in Volhynia, on the 83rd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, I will pay tribute to those murdered in the Volhynia Massacre.

The Volhynia massacre, considered by Polish historians to be an act of genocide, involved coordinated attacks by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) on Polish-inhabited villages. These events, peaking on July 11, 1943, led to the deaths of an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Poles. The UPA, linked to the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists led by Stepan Bandera, is a highly contentious subject in Polish-Ukrainian relations.

Recent months have seen increased friction between Warsaw and Kyiv over historical commemorations. Tensions escalated after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision in late May to name a military unit after the UPA heroes. This move drew criticism in Poland, prompting actions such as the revocation of the Order of the White Eagle from Zelenskyy by Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

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Our thoughts and prayers will be with all those who died simply for being Polish. The victims cry not for revenge but for memory and truth.