A new monument has been erected at Sofia Melnyk's grave
A new monument has been erected at the National Military Memorial Cemetery on the grave of Sofia Melnyk (Fedak), an activist in the Ukrainian national liberation movement and the wife of Andriy Melnyk, head of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). The previous headstone, which had sparked widespread public controversy due to its size, was replaced with a new memorial.
After Sofia Melnyk’s reburial in late May, a small headstone was placed on her grave, which differed significantly from the monument on her husband’s neighboring grave. This sparked lively discussion on social media, where users pointed out the noticeable difference between the two memorials and criticized the design.
“The mistake has been corrected. A new monument has been installed at the National Military Memorial Cemetery on the grave of Sofia Melnyk (née Fedak)—a figure in the nationalist movement and the wife of OUN leader Andriy Melnyk,” wrote historian Vakhtang Kipiani.
Following a wave of criticism, the headstone was replaced. The new monument is designed in the same style as Andriy Melnyk’s memorial. It has a similar shape and also features a photograph of Sofia Melnyk, ensuring the stylistic unity of the couple’s gravesite.
Sofia Melnyk (Fedak) was a public figure and an active participant in the Ukrainian national movement. She was the wife of Andriy Melnyk, who led the OUN after the death of Yevhen Konovalets in 1938.
Journalist and historian Vakhtang Kipiani reported this on Facebook on July 7.
As a reminder, a historic reburial took place at the National Military Memorial Cemetery for Colonel Andriy Melnyk of the Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic, Head of the OUN, and his wife, Sofia Fedak-Melnyk.
