The Ukrainian Parliament has given its approval this Wednesday for the creation of a pantheon dedicated to honoring its national heroes, in a context marked by the reopened controversy surrounding the past of some of these figures, especially in neighboring countries like Poland.
The plan foresees the construction in Kyiv of a complex that will function as a central space for preserving the country's historical memory, holding official state ceremonies, and hosting reburials of repatriated national heroes, as well as cenotaphs for those who cannot be returned to Ukrainian territory.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has thanked the deputies for their support of this proposal and has stressed that it represents "an important step" not only to pay homage to prominent figures of the past but also to lay "the foundations for long-term social unity."
"This is possible when the decisions of our state are based on recognizing those whom the people truly honor, those who have made a truly historical contribution to the defense, development, and strengthening of Ukraine," Zelensky praised on social media.
The initiative for the pantheon comes from Zelensky himself, who presented it a few days ago amidst diplomatic friction with Poland, following the decision to name a unit of the Ukrainian Army after an ultranationalist militia accused in that country of massacres during World War II. In that context, the president argued that "no one will ever" tell them "which heroes to respect."
Zelensky's choice to allow a military unit to bear the name 'Heroes of the UPA'—referring to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA)—led the Polish President, Andrzej Duda, to withdraw the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest decoration, thus reigniting tensions over the shared historical memory between the two countries.
Who will be able to be featured in the new pantheon?
The legal text establishes that the pantheon will not be limited to political leaders and military commanders linked to the formation of the Ukrainian state and its independence. Other relevant figures from different fields, such as culture, science, or religious life, may also be honored.
At the same time, persons convicted of crimes against the security of the Ukrainian State, for violations of International Law, or for their involvement with totalitarian governments and periods, including Nazi Germany, communist regimes, or imperial Russia, will be excluded from this recognition.
However, one day after the proposal was presented to the Rada, the deputy from the ruling party Servant of the People, Mikita Poturayev, did not rule out that Stepan Bandera, responsible for proclaiming the independence of the Ukrainian State in 191, could be one of the names included in this commemorative space.
Bandera's figure generates deep division due to his collaboration with Nazi Germany, despite the fact that Adolf Hitler's own regime ended up imprisoning him after the proclamation of Ukrainian independence, as well as for the ethnic cleansings and massacres perpetrated by the militias under his command, including the UPA, in territories such as Poland.
Among the possible honorees in this pantheon are also the last commander of the UPA, Vasil Kuk; the Nazi collaborator Mykhailo Omelianovych-Pavlenko, later a member of the Ukrainian government in exile; and Colonel Yevhen Konovalets, one of the founders of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists.