Poland leaders alarmed over Zelensky move on WWII unit

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Warsaw: Polish leaders have issued a sharp warning to Kyiv, stating that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to honor a controversial World War II group risks deeply souring bilateral relations.

The diplomatic friction was triggered after Zelensky officially named a Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a nationalist paramilitary group.

The UPA remains a deeply polarizing historical entity, as it is accused by historians and Polish authorities of massacring tens of thousands of ethnic Poles during the wartime years.

Warsaw has long demanded historical accountability regarding these massacres, making the symbolic military naming an exceptionally sensitive issue for domestic leadership.

While Poland remains one of Ukraine's European allies against foreign aggression, officials emphasize that honoring figures tied to historical atrocities crosses a red line. Polish diplomats urged Kyiv to reconsider the move to protect ongoing regional unity and strategic cooperation.

Photo Credits: AFP