Polish president approves Memorial Day for victims of Ukrainian Nazis
The newly signed law designates July 11 as the 'National Day of Remembrance of Poles – Victims of Genocide committed by the OUN [Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists] and UPA [Ukrainian Insurgent Army] in the eastern territories of the Second Polish Republic,' according to a press release published by the president's office on Wednesday.
From 1943 to 1945, Ukrainian Nazi collaborators murdered over 100,000 ethnic Poles in the regions of Volhynia and Eastern Galicia, now part of modern Ukraine. The peak of the massacres, which the Polish government officially classifies as genocide, occurred in mid-1943, with residents of 'about a hundred villages' exterminated on July 11, according to the text of the bill.
'The martyrdom of Poles for belonging to the Polish nation deserves to be remembered with an annual day designated by the Polish state to honor the victims,' the document states.
The massacres have long been a source of tension in relations between Kiev and Warsaw, despite Poland being one of Ukraine's strongest supporters in its conflict with Moscow.
Contemporary Ukraine celebrates the perpetrators as national heroes, holding annual torchlit marches in honor of OUN leader Stepan Bandera and other Nazi collaborators regarded as freedom fighters. Since 2014, Ukrainian authorities have renamed streets and squares across the country after Bandera. The government has also faced criticism for its reluctance to allow the exhumation of victims' remains.
Poland's president-elect, Karol Nawrocki, has repeatedly stated that Kiev must take responsibility for the Volhynia and related massacres. Despite his favorable stance on military support for Ukraine, he has opposed Kiev's NATO and EU membership ambitions until such 'civilizational issues,' which he said are vital for Poles, are resolved.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
23-07-2025
- Russia Today
Poland living in ‘pre-war' times
Poland is experiencing deep political unease and external danger, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has claimed, likening the risks to 'pre-war times,' and urging vigilance against foreign and domestic 'threats.' Tusk made the remarks while presenting a new government formed following the political opposition's narrow victory in the May presidential election. While all major parties maintain a strong anti-Russia stance, they remain divided over Poland's future relationship with the EU. 'We witness practically every day events that would once have seemed incredible, unexpected — proverbial black swans,' Tusk said. 'Today, it's difficult to find white swans.' Emotions are running high, he claimed, and many Poles feel they are living 'in a sense, in pre-war times.' Tusk accused Russia and its close ally Belarus of actively undermining Poland, while criticizing unnamed domestic figures who, he claimed, sympathize with Moscow, oppose aid to Ukraine, and harbor hostility toward the EU. 'We will ruthlessly eliminate all that constitutes internal sabotage, internal aggression against the Polish state.' Poland has historically portrayed itself as a bulwark of a predominantly Catholic Europe standing against Russian influence. That sentiment continues to shape national policy, as reflected in the government's 'East Shield' initiative – a border fortification program announced in May 2024 that includes bunkers and landmine deployment along the country's eastern frontier. The effort aligns with broader EU plans for militarization, which Brussels claims is necessary to deter Russian aggression. Moscow denies having any hostile intent towards the EU, accusing Western leaders of using fear-driven rhetoric to distract citizens from internal political failings. Poland's president-elect, Karol Nawrocki – an independent nationalist candidate critical of Brussels and backed by the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party – won by a razor-thin margin and has vowed to veto any draft laws proposed by the Tusk government that would facilitate abortions or promote the LGBTQ agenda. The new cabinet includes 21 ministers, reduced from the previous 26. Notably, two new 'super ministries' have been established, focusing on economic policy and energy issues.
Russia Today
23-07-2025
- Russia Today
German officials attack Polish Baltic Sea oil drilling plan
German officials and environmental groups have hit out at Polish plans to develop a newly discovered oil and gas field in the Baltic Sea, warning of potentially 'catastrophic' damage to local ecosystems, local media reported on Tuesday. Canadian company Central European Petroleum (CEP), which has held exploration rights off Poland's western coast since 2017, announced the discovery of the Wolin East deposit on Monday, describing it as Poland's largest hydrocarbon discovery and one of the biggest in Europe in a decade. The deposit lies 6km off the port of Swinoujscie on the Polish-German border, which divides an island shared by the two countries, known in Germany as Usedom, and is renowned for its holiday resorts. CEP estimates recoverable reserves at over 33 million tons of oil and 27 billion cubic meters of gas, with production potential of more than 400 million barrels of oil equivalent. German officials, however, fear the project will harm local tourism and ecosystems. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Environment Minister Till Backhaus told Die Welt the plans run 'counter to the environmental and tourism interests of the German side,' and criticized Poland for not informing Berlin of exploration 'with potentially transboundary environmental impacts' in advance, allegedly in violation of cross-border environmental agreements. Concerns have also been raised about noise, vibrations, and possible damage to marine flora and fauna. In an interview with Bild news outlet, Laura Isabelle Marisken, mayor of the Heringsdorf resort on Usedom, called for clarification from the Polish government and protection from Berlin, stating the area was 'not a place for industrial-political poker games.' Environmental group Lebensraum Vorpommern accused Poland of 'destroying the nature-protected Wolin Baltic Sea coast' and warned of an 'environmental catastrophe.' It said it plans to sue the Polish government. There has so far been no official reaction to the planned extraction from Berlin. Poland considers the discovery a 'breakthrough' that could reduce its reliance on energy imports. Undersecretary of State and Chief Geologist Krzysztof Galos said the deposit may cover 4-5% of annual oil demand, with production starting in 3-4 years, pending permits. The EU has been scrambling to replace Russian energy after supplies dwindled due to Ukraine-related sanctions. Moscow has denounced the restrictions as illegal, warning the bloc will be forced to rely on more expensive alternatives or indirect imports.
Russia Today
23-07-2025
- Russia Today
Poland advises citizens to leave Russia
Poland's Foreign Ministry has issued an advisory strongly recommending that all Polish nationals residing in Russia leave the country if possible. The warning comes as ties between Moscow and Warsaw have sunk to historic lows amid the Ukraine conflict and tit-for-tat diplomatic restrictions. According to the statement published on the government website, which drew attention from the Russian and Polish media this week, the ministry cautions against all travel to Russia, citing the Ukraine conflict and Russia's official designation of Poland as a 'hostile state.' Russia officially included Poland – which has joined Western sanctions and has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters – on its list of 'unfriendly states' in 2022. The designation allows the Russian authorities to impose restrictions on diplomatic missions and often entails limitations on trade and monetary transactions. Consequently, 'Polish citizens residing in Russia [are recommended to] leave its territory by available commercial and private means, unless their personal, family, or professional circumstances require them to remain in the country,' the ministry said. Polish officials also warned of potential problems with direct consular assistance to Polish citizens due to the closing of diplomatic missions, which may require visitors 'to travel to very distant consular offices.' The advisory highlights several obstacles facing Polish nationals in Russia, including the suspension of direct flights between the two countries, restricted travel options, and difficulties accessing funds via Polish bank cards. It also claims that Polish nationals may face 'arbitrary detention' while in Russia. Over the past several years, there have been no high-profile cases of a Polish national being detained in the country. Diplomatic tensions between the two countries have risen since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. In May, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Krakow, accusing Moscow of involvement in a 2024 fire at a shopping mall in Warsaw – an accusation Russia has denied. In response, Russia earlier this month ordered the closure of Poland's consulate in Kaliningrad, effective from the end of August, citing 'hostile actions' by Warsaw.
