“Truth should not be one-sided”: Ukraine’s Ambassador to Poland on Bandera and the exhumation of victims of the 1943-1945 conflict

Vasyl Bodnar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Poland, commented on the issue of exhumation of victims of the Polish-Ukrainian confrontation of 1943-1945. This is reported by UNN with reference to RFM24.

Details

Answering a question about the exhumation of Polish victims, as well as the bloody events in Volhynia during World War II, Bodnar noted: crimes were committed by both sides – both Ukrainian and Polish. Ukrainians, like Poles, also need to be honored.

When asked about the dispute between Polish and Ukrainian historians regarding the events in Volhynia, the diplomat resolutely replied: “There is no dispute, because there is no conversation.” He noted that Ukrainian officials are fully aware that the events in Volhynia are a “painful topic” for the Polish side.

Bodnar also expressed hope that “at least one or two decisions regarding searches and exhumations in Ukraine will be made this month.”

In addition, the Ukrainian ambassador also touched upon the topic of demonization in Poland of Stepan Bandera, one of the leaders of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). He noted that Bandera was in a German concentration camp when the bloody conflict between Ukrainians and Poles took place in Volhynia.

You (Poles – ed) created the image of the hated Bandera

– he stated.

At the same time, Bodnar called for joint Polish-Ukrainian actions in favor of understanding between our peoples.

We must reach understanding through truth, but not one-sided truth

– he noted.Recall

In August 2025, during a concert by Belarusian rap artist Max Korzh at the National Stadium in Warsaw, a red-and-black flag was unfurled, which is a symbol of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).

Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar emphasized that Ukrainians must comply with Polish laws, and such actions harm relations between the two countries.

UNN also reported that Polish President Karol Nawrocki submitted a bill to the Sejm to ban the so-called “Bandera” ideology.

At the same time, Ukrainian blogger Olena Mandziuk wore a sweatshirt with a picture of Stepan Bandera during a trip to Poland. This caused outrage from some Ukrainians, to which Mandziuk stated that she is not afraid to be herself and defend Ukrainian identity.