Ukraine's UPA Honors Spark Outrage in Poland, Deepen Historical Divide

A decision by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to bestow the honorary title of "Heroes of the UPA" upon a military unit has ignited a firestorm in Poland. The move prompted Polish President Andrzej Duda to revoke the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honor, from the Ukrainian leader.

The controversy highlights a deep-seated historical dispute between the two nations, particularly concerning the actions of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) during World War II. While Poland views the UPA's actions, especially the Volhynia massacres, as a tragic event involving the killing of Poles, many Ukrainians see the UPA as a force that fought for independence against Soviet and Nazi occupation.

Recent polls indicate that Zelenskyy's decision aligns with prevailing sentiments in Ukraine. A survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) found that 57% of Ukrainians believe each country should maintain its own historical narrative and heroes without external interference. Only 33% favored establishing a commission of historians to seek compromise, and a mere 1% supported adopting the Polish perspective.

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For most Ukrainians, the UPA is a force that fought the Soviet Union until the early 1960s. As many as 155,000 UPA soldiers died, and 300,000 were repressed, some sent to Siberia. For Ukrainians, they are a symbol of the fight against the Soviets, not against Poles.

Furthermore, the KIIS poll revealed that 37% of Ukrainians view the UPA's activities positively, while 50% remain undecided. Only 8% expressed a negative assessment of the UPA. Mykola Kniazhytskyi, a Ukrainian lawmaker, explained that for many Ukrainians, the UPA symbolizes the fight against the Soviets, with significant casualties suffered by its soldiers. He noted that historical narratives about Volhynia were suppressed during the Soviet era, leading to a lack of awareness among many Ukrainians, particularly outside western Ukraine.

Textbooks in Ukraine reflect this differing historical perspective. A 2023 history textbook for 10th graders dedicates only three pages to the "Volhynia tragedy," with two of those pages containing commentary and exercises. This limited coverage contrasts sharply with the historical weight the events carry in Poland.

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During the USSR, it was forbidden to talk about what happened in Volhynia, and because of that, most Ukrainians know nothing about it. In western Ukraine, yes, but in the whole country, there is little information on this subject.