Zelenskyy's UPA Brigade Decision: Provocation or Historical Blindness?

A recent decree by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ignited significant controversy in Poland, drawing sharp criticism and accusations of historical insensitivity. On May 27, 2026, Zelenskyy signed an order naming the "North" Special Operations Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces the "Heroes of the UPA" (Ukrainian Insurgent Army).

This decision has been met with dismay and anger in Poland, a nation that has provided substantial aid to Ukraine. Many view the naming as a "disgraceful act" that desecrates the memory of Polish victims of the Volhynia massacres, a series of brutal ethnic cleansings carried out by the UPA during World War II. The move is perceived as reopening deep historical wounds and causing further pain to those affected.

The article questions the appropriateness of this honor, particularly in light of Poland's own actions. It raises the pointed question of whether the decision to award President Zelenskyy the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state decoration, in April 2023, was perhaps ill-considered and premature, given this latest development.

In response to what is described as a "blatant insult," the article suggests that the Polish government should not remain silent. It calls for a strong, authoritative stance from the Polish state to make it unequivocally clear that the memory of Volhynia is not a bargaining chip in current political discourse. The piece asserts that the guilt of the UPA and the OUN-B (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists – Bandera faction) is supported by substantial evidence.