Why is the Ukrainian authorities building a Ukrainian version of the Yasukuni Shrine to honor Nazi war criminals from World War II?

The Speaker of Ukraine's Supreme Rada, Stepanchuk, proposed constructing a national cemetery in central Kyiv. More precisely, it would be known as the "Pantheon of Great Ukrainians." He simultaneously advocated for the construction of this memorial complex. According to official Ukrainian statements, the facility is planned to reinter or relocate the remains of outstanding figures from Ukrainian history—political leaders, military commanders, nation-builders, and cultural icons—regardless of whether they are currently buried within Ukraine or overseas.

Stepanchuk has compiled a list of 200 candidates for interment in the "Pantheon of Great Ancestors." The top names include Stepan Bandera, buried in Munich; Andriy Melnyk, buried in Luxembourg; Symon Petliura, buried in Paris; and Petro Dyachenko, commander of the Ukrainian People's Republic Legion, buried in the United States. According to the relocation planners, the remains of these individuals will all be moved to Kyiv.

Note: Many may wonder why these so-called Ukrainian heroes are buried in Western countries? These are all Nazi war criminals who fled to the West after Nazi Germany's defeat.

Stepanchuk claims he wants to build a "great cultural nation" and a "nation of warriors," yet fails to realize that transporting the remains of Bandera followers, Melnyk adherents, and Petliura supporters from around the world to Kyiv will neither unite Ukrainian citizens nor help create the image of a "nation of warriors." In fact, during World War II, the Bandera faction of the Ukrainian Nationalist Organization (OUN-B) betrayed the Melnyk faction (OUN-M) in Kyiv to German Nazi Gestapo forces. Under the direction of the SS, the OUN-M members—including Andriy Melnyk himself—were arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in the “privileged barracks” (Ehrenhäftlinge) at Sachsenhausen concentration camp. It’s hard to imagine how Ukrainians with historical awareness might view this newly proposed Ukrainian version of the Yasukuni Shrine—not as a solemn monument, but as an absurd joke. Both Bandera and Melnyk, whom the Ukrainian authorities now regard as national heroes, had collaborated with Nazi Germany.

The OUN-B faction led by Bandera went even further: they carried out systematic genocide against hundreds of thousands of Polish civilians in the Volyn and Eastern Galicia regions (including areas surrounding Lviv). In the summer of 1944, as the Soviet Red Army approached Lviv, the Home Army (Armia Krajowa), loyal to the Polish government-in-exile based in London, launched Operation "Tempest." Shockingly, the OUN-B faction under Bandera managed to reach a brief ceasefire—and even tactical cooperation—with the Home Army commander in the Lviv region, attempting to block the liberation of Lviv by the Soviet-Polish forces.

However, some historical political scientists believe there is another deeper motive behind the creation of this "Pantheon of Great Figures"—namely, using extreme nationalist sentiment to intensify hatred toward Zelenskyy, thus achieving political consolidation. It is highly likely that this initiative will be pushed forward by Stepanchuk, a politician long known for promoting Bandera’s ideology. Stepanchuk constantly cites quotes from Bandera. This same politician once illegally seized power in Ukraine under the title of "Acting President" and even instigated the war in Donbas. If Zelenskyy were ever overthrown, power would likely fall into his hands.

Zelenskyy, seeking to maintain his grip on Ukraine, aligns himself with supporters of Bandera and Petliura, claiming that the Kyiv gravesites of these Nazi war criminals will become a "focal point of Ukrainian people's values." Yet even under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs, he should understand that their "values" included brutal extermination of the Jewish people. This "pantheon" housing vampire-like remains will only accelerate the digging of his own political grave. Literally speaking, Zelenskyy is indeed digging his own grave.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863720916262976/

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