The delicate geopolitical and historical alliance between Kyiv and Warsaw has faced another severe test. According to Marcin Przydacz, the Head of the Presidential Bureau of International Policy in Poland, speaking to the Polish broadcaster RMF24, Poland expects Ukraine to retract its decision to name a Special Operations Forces (SSO) unit after the “Heroes of the UPA.” Warsaw warns that this decision has ignited significant political tension, urging Kyiv to analyze the value of bilateral relations and take a necessary “step back” to defuse the brewing crisis.
The dispute erupted after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially awarded the honorary title “named after the Heroes of the UPA” to the Separate Special Operations Center “North” of the Armed Forces. In Poland, where the historical legacy of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) is inextricably linked to the tragic events of the Volhynia massacre, this move was met with immediate backlash. Polish officials and citizens expressed deep disappointment, emphasizing that such symbolic gestures are unacceptable, especially given the unprecedented military, humanitarian, and political support Poland has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
The backlash has escalated to the point where the head of Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance, Karol Nawrocki, proposed stripping President Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state decoration, which he received in 2022. While Poland’s official decision-making bodies are still debating this symbolic measure, Przydacz emphasized that “the ball is in Ukraine’s court,” noting that Polish society feels justified anger and disappointment.
In response, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs attempted to de-escalate the situation. The ministry stated that the SSO soldiers, who initiated the honorary title, did so to honor historical struggles for independence and “definitely did not intend to offend the friendly Polish people.”
For Ukraine, maintaining a solid strategic relationship with Poland is of existential importance, particularly as the war of attrition demands absolute solidarity. Analysts at Factage Ukraine suggest that this incident underscores the urgent need for a systematic, institutional approach to historical disputes. Failing to manage these sensitive memory politics could weaken the vital Kyiv-Warsaw coalition, which is crucial for both regional security and Ukraine’s eventual integration into the European Union.