Poland Erupts Over Zelenskyy’s UPA Honors Move

A new diplomatic storm is brewing between Poland and Ukraine after President Zelenskyy honored a Special Operations unit with the name “Heroes of the UPA” – triggering outrage in Warsaw.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has announced his intention to seek the revocation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s highest Polish state award following Kyiv’s decision to name an elite Special Operations Forces unit after the “Heroes of the UPA.”

May 27 marks the 10th anniversary of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

To mark this date, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded the honorary title “named after the Heroes of the UPA” to the Separate Special Operations Center “North” of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Appropriate decree published on the website of the head of state.

“In order to restore the historical traditions of the national military, and taking into account the exemplary fulfillment of assigned tasks during the defense of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence, I hereby decree: To award the Separate Special Operations Center ‘North’ of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine the honorary title ‘named after the Heroes of the UPA,’ and henceforth it shall be known as the Separate Special Operations Center ‘North’ named after the Heroes of the UPA of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

It is stated that the decree enters into force on the day of its publication.

According to Nawrocki, such a move demonstrates that Ukraine is “not ready for the European family.” The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed outrage over the decision and has already delivered an official protest note to Ukraine’s ambassador.

The controversy erupted after President Zelenskyy approved the naming of a Ukrainian Special Operations Forces unit in honor of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a historical nationalist formation whose legacy remains highly controversial in Poland due to the Volhynia massacres during World War II.

Commenting on the matter, Nawrocki stated that by granting the unit the name “Heroes of the UPA,” Zelenskyy had provided “excellent material and significant fuel for Russian propaganda.” He emphasized that such symbolic decisions damage Polish-Ukrainian relations and complicate efforts toward closer European integration.

Former Polish President Lech Wałęsa also sharply criticized President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to grant the Separate Special Operations Center the honorary title “named after the Heroes of the UPA.” Wałęsa called members of the UPA “bandits,” after which he publicly removed a pin featuring the Ukrainian flag from his chest and declared that he would no longer support Zelenskyy.

The issue has sparked renewed debate in Poland over historical memory, bilateral relations with Ukraine, and the political sensitivity surrounding the legacy of the UPA.

Let’s stay united around the Ukrainian people, who are living through the real war today and want a chance at another day for their children.

EMPR