Poland Revokes Top Honor from Zelenskiy Following UPA Tribute

The controversy centers on the legacy of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which fought both Soviet and Nazi forces during World War II. While many in Ukraine view the group as symbols of independence, Poland maintains that the UPA orchestrated the Volhynia massacres between 1943 and 1945, resulting in the deaths of approximately 100,000 Poles. Thousands of Ukrainians were also killed in subsequent retaliatory actions.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha characterized the revocation as a strategic blunder, arguing that the move provides an unnecessary advantage to Moscow. This development arrives just days before a major conference in Gdansk focused on the reconstruction of Ukraine, threatening to overshadow diplomatic cooperation between the two neighbors. Nawrocki’s statement underscored that the renaming of the Ukrainian army unit made the retention of the honor untenable.