Poland is outraged over the name of a Special Operations Forces unit named after UPA heroes — RMF 24
Warsaw has responded to the decision to rename a Ukrainian military unit. The unit in question is an elite Special Operations Forces unit, which has reportedly been named in honor of the Heroes of the UPA. This has sparked a critical reaction among the Polish public and in political circles.
This was reported by RMF 24.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy bestowed the honorary title “in the name of the Heroes of the UPA” upon the “North” Special Operations Center of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The presidential decree states that this was done with the aim of restoring the historical traditions of the national army and in recognition of the exemplary performance of assigned tasks in defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence.
On Thursday, a meeting took place between Poland’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcin Bosacki and Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar.
The Polish side clearly protested against Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision and explained that it is painful for Poles. They also emphasized to the ambassador that this is causing anger in Poland and is strongly alienating many Poles from Ukraine during this difficult time of war.
Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wiewiór wrote on social media platform X that Poland views the naming of a Ukrainian unit after the “Heroes of the UPA” as “unequivocally negative.”
“This decision offends the memory of the victims of this organization and deals a blow to the dialogue between our nations. It can be exploited by Russian propaganda, which seeks to divide us and undermine support for Ukraine as it defends itself. We are raising this issue in our discussions with our partners in Ukraine,” he wrote.
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kervinsky also commented on the matter during the “Morning Talk” program on RMF FM. “This is a bad decision by the president,” he stated.
Kerwinski said he would not want Poland and Ukraine to go down this path.
“The fact that President Zelenskyy made a mistake is undeniable; there is no room for debate here. He must understand the historical sensitivities of Poles, especially given that Poland is the country that helps Ukraine the most. However, we must always remember what is most important. The most important thing is victory over Russian imperialism,” the minister emphasized.
Poland is ready to help Hungaryachieve energy independence from Russia.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar began his first official foreign visit on May 19 after taking office, choosing Poland as his destination.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the Polish government will try to influence the Pentagon’s decision regarding the possible withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.
