Duda signs controversial law on Volyn tragedy
Photo: Polish President Andrzej Duda (Getty Images)
Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a controversial law on the Volyn tragedy on Wednesday, July 2, according to the press service of the Polish president.
"The Law of June 4, 2025, establishing July 11 as the National Day of Remembrance for Poles – victims of genocide committed by the OUN and UPA in the eastern territories of the Second Polish Republic," the president’s office stated.
Volyn tragedy
The Volyn tragedy refers to mutual ethnic cleansings of Polish and Ukrainian populations carried out in 1943–1944 by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the Polish Home Army (AK).
Poland has repeatedly urged Ukraine to begin exhumations of the victims of the tragedy.
Back in early April this year, Ukraine granted permission to conduct such exhumations in the village of Uhly in Rivne region. It’s also known that exhumations began in the Ternopil region as well.
More on why Poland is so invested in this issue can be found in an article by RBC-Ukraine.
Last month, the Polish Sejm officially designated July 11 as the National Day of Remembrance for Poles – victims of genocide committed by the OUN and UPA in the eastern territories of the Second Polish Republic.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move contradicts the principles of good neighborly relations between Kyiv and Warsaw.
