Lviv regional council declared 2027 the year of Roman Shukhevych, the UPA and Oleh Olzhych
On 20 October, the Lviv Oblast Council voted to proclaim 2027 the year of Roman Shukhevych, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and poet Oleh Olzhych. The decision triggered strong criticism from Polish officials, who said it undermined bilateral ties and Ukraine’s European integration. The announcement was later removed from the council’s website and social media, while Polish officials said the resolution would not enter into force.
Əsas məqamlar
- The Lviv Oblast Council adopted the declaration on 20 October at a plenary session.
- It was linked to the 120th anniversary of Shukhevych’s and Olzhych’s births and the 85th anniversary of the UPA’s founding.
- Sviatoslav Sheremeta, the council’s culture committee head, initiated and defended the proposal.
- The announcement was deleted from the council’s website and social media late on 20 October.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the decision harmful to Ukraine and potentially useful to opponents of Ukraine’s EU accession.
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki said Polish officials were told the decision would not enter into force; no such statement was identified as an official Ukrainian confirmation.
Bu niyə vacibdir
The decision has become another point in the dispute over historical memory and the differing assessments of the UPA, Roman Shukhevych and the Volhynia events. The reaction at Poland’s highest ministerial levels shows that the issue affects mutual trust, defence cooperation and arguments surrounding Ukraine’s European integration. Poland also initiated a proposed or signed measure concerning Sviatoslav Sheremeta’s entry status, while the announcement’s removal and assurances that the resolution would not enter into force indicate possible efforts to stop or reverse the initiative.
Nə baş verdi
On 20 October, deputies of the Lviv Oblast Council voted at a plenary session to proclaim 2027 the year of Roman Shukhevych, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and poet and OUN activist Oleh Olzhych. The initiative was proposed by Sviatoslav Sheremeta, the council’s deputy and head of its culture and information policy committee. The declaration was tied to the 120th anniversary of Shukhevych’s birth, the 120th anniversary of Olzhych’s birth and the 85th anniversary of the UPA’s founding. The council had planned memorial, educational, scientific, cultural and informational events during 2027. Late that evening, the announcement was removed from the council’s social media and official website. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry officials said the decision was adopted at the regional level without prior consultation with the ministry or other central authorities, called it counterproductive for Ukrainian-Polish relations and urged Poland to avoid sharp steps that could hinder normalisation.
Ukrayna mənbələri bu barədə necə yazır
Ukrainian sources emphasise the regional status of the decision and the absence of prior consultation with central authorities. They present the initiative as honouring Ukrainian national liberation figures rather than targeting Poland, while noting plans for extensive commemorative and educational activities in 2027. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said that political decisions by local government bodies should not harm national interests, particularly in security and European integration.
Beynəlxalq mənbələr bu barədə necə yazır
Polish and international coverage centres the decision on historical memory disputes, especially Polish assessments of UPA activities and the Volhynia events. Polish officials described it as unacceptable, provocative and harmful to Ukraine, Poland and Ukraine’s European accession. Reports also highlighted Sheremeta’s earlier Polish entry ban and Poland’s proposed measure to add him to its list of undesirable persons.
Mənbələr nədə fərqlənir
Ukrainian officials said the decision was counterproductive for bilateral relations, while Polish officials characterised it as harmful to Ukraine, provocative and damaging to cooperation. Polish officials also said it would not enter into force and regarded its removal from official pages as a positive sign, although the council had voted to adopt it and had planned commemorative activities. Sources differ on the formal status of Poland’s action concerning Sheremeta: some describe a signed order or request, while one account says the foreign minister did not make the final decision.
Kontekst
Poland classifies crimes committed against the Polish population during the Volhynia events as genocide, while many Ukrainian historians and politicians describe the events as part of a broader Polish-Ukrainian conflict in which both sides bear responsibility. In Ukrainian historical memory, the OUN and UPA are often associated with the struggle for independence and post-war resistance to the Soviet Union. Similar UPA- and Shukhevych-related designations have previously been adopted by regional councils in Lviv, Rivne, Ternopil and Volyn.