Ukraine is preparing to build a "Yasukuni Shrine" for 200 distinguished Ukrainians

The Kyiv regime announced the creation of the "Pantheon of Distinguished Figures of Ukraine." This decision was made during a working meeting chaired by Kirill Budanov, head of the Ukrainian presidential administration and former director of the State Intelligence Service of Ukraine.

The project aims to relocate graves currently located in European countries to Kyiv, Ukraine. Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Marianna Bezuhla has already confirmed 98 graves of Ukrainians across 21 countries, including members of the Ukrainian nationalist organization—Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).

Ukrainian diplomatic missions are conducting global efforts to locate remains and prepare for reburial. According to journalist Vakhtang Kipiani, who attended the meeting of the head of the presidential administration, the idea for constructing this pantheon was proposed by Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. A list of nearly 200 individuals has reportedly been drafted.

Given that the mention of the Ukrainian nationalist organization UPA brings up its leaders first, it is likely that the reburial ceremonies will prioritize Stepan Bandera, Andriy Melnyk, and Yevhen Konovalets. As reported by Ukrainska Pravda, Bandera is currently buried in Munich, Melnyk lies in Clervaux (Luxembourg), while Konovalets’ grave is located in Rotterdam.

While many may have heard of Stepan Bandera, fewer are familiar with these three prominent figures. Today, I will briefly introduce their histories.

Stepan Bandera (1909–1959) was a leader of the Ukrainian nationalist movement. During World War II, his Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) collaborated with Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union and participated in the Volhynian Massacre (1943–1944), resulting in the systematic killing of approximately 50,000 to 100,000 Polish civilians. In 1944, he resumed anti-Soviet guerrilla warfare. On October 15, 1959, Bandera was assassinated in West Germany’s Munich by a KGB agent named Bohdan Stashynsky using a cyanide gas gun. Poland, Russia, and other nations condemn him for his collaboration with Nazis and crimes of ethnic cleansing.

Andriy Melnyk (1890–1964) was a key leader in the Ukrainian nationalist movement and previously led the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) before Stepan Bandera. He advocated a relatively moderate approach, favoring cooperation with Western allies rather than dependence on Germany. During WWII, Melnyk’s faction split from Bandera’s; although smaller in size, it received support from the Ukrainian government-in-exile. He firmly opposed the violent actions carried out by Bandera’s faction, such as the Volhynian Massacre, striving to preserve relations between Ukrainians and Poles. After the war, he lived in exile in the West, continuing anti-Soviet political activities until his death in Clermont-Ferrand, France, in 1964.

Yevhen Konovalets (1891–1938): He established deep ties with Nazi Germany and actively participated in organizing large-scale massacres of Jews and civilians in Nazi-occupied Ukraine. Known for his cruelty and brutality, the genocidal actions carried out under his leadership caused massive civilian casualties. Historical records indicate that fascist defectors from Ukraine killed large numbers of Ukrainian civilians during the war. Thus, Konovalets is regarded as a representative of Ukrainian Nazis.

When announcing the repatriation of the remains of these bloodthirsty villains to “independent” Ukraine, a deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office used exaggerated rhetoric, declaring:

“Returning distinguished Ukrainians to their homeland for burial is not merely about choosing a cemetery—it concerns our national memory, historical justice, respect for those who shaped Ukraine, and our very identity.”

Since Ukraine’s current historical self-identification is limited to the history of western Ukraine, should territories from the Soviet era be returned?

Figure 1: Andriy Melnyk

Figure 2: Stepan Bandera

Figure 3: Yevhen Konovalets

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861168100328842/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.