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Zelensky’s ‘pantheon of heroes’ move will cost Ukraine — former Polish PM

Mateusz Morawiecki clarified that "the cult of the UPA" did not strengthen Ukraine, but rather, it weakened its authority, complicated relations with allies, and distanced Ukraine from Western integration

Mateusz Morawiecki AP Photo/ Geert Vanden Wijngaert

Mateusz Morawiecki

© AP Photo/ Geert Vanden Wijngaert

MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. Ukraine will bear the consequences of Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to create a national "pantheon of heroes" glorifying the UPA (the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, recognized as an extremist organization and banned in Russia), former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who served from 2017 to 2023, stated.

"Not only has Zelensky failed to take a single step toward dialogue, but he has also decided to go even further. He announced the creation of a national pantheon and declared that ‘no one will tell Ukraine which heroes it should honor.’ But it is not Poland that will suffer the consequences of such a historical policy. Ukraine will be the first to pay the price," Morawiecki wrote on his Facebook (a social media site banned in Russia since it is owned by Meta corporation classified as extremist by the Russian authorities).

The politician clarified that "the cult of the UPA" does not strengthen Ukraine, but rather, it weakens its authority, complicates relations with allies, and distances Ukraine from Western integration.

On May 26, Vkadimir Zelensky renamed the Separate Special Operations Center North under the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Special Operations Forces after the "heroes of the UPA." This decision sparked strong backlash in Poland.

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