Ukraine and Poland will continue joint search and exhumation work, with new stages of work planned in the coming months on both sides of the border. The Ukrainian ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, said this in an interview with Radio Liberty.
According to him, now the Polish side has a significant request for exhumations in Ukraine. At the same time, Ukraine will soon also begin search operations on the territory of Poland.
“As of today we have issued permits and search operations have taken place in two places. In the coming months will take place in two additional locations. Also on the territory of Poland we have received permits to conduct search operations in three places, here in June is planned the first stage. So it is a two-way process. It is just the volume and quantity, it is of course greater on the Polish side. We are not creating any parity here, because we now have all the resources going to the front, but this process will also continue,” said Vasyl Bodnar.
According to Bodnar, historical issues, in particular the Volyn tragedy, have an impact on Ukrainian-Polish relations. In 2024, the issue of exhumations actually affected the entire spectrum of cooperation between the countries – “from political dialogue to economic cooperation,” the diplomat said.
According to him, working on these issues, in particular exhumations, has helped to reduce political tension around the topic.
“When we started to work with this and, as they say,” trashing “this issue, the issue came off the political agenda. That is, if you deal and solve problems related to search, exhumation, burial, honouring the memory, it does not” background “and does not create problems for other areas of cooperation. As soon as this topic moves to some political plane or disputes begin, then, of course, it explodes on the whole society and affects all areas of cooperation – from health care to European integration,” – added Bodnar.
Earlier, the Ministry of culture reported that the Ukrainian-Polish working group on historical memory identified plans for search and exhumation works for 2026.
Last year for the first time Ukrainian researchers conducted work on the territory of Poland to search for the remains of Ukrainian victims of the Second world war. The search work was conducted on 30 September until 4 October in the village of Jurechkova in Podkarpackie Voivodeship – then the remains of UPA soldiers were not found and were to continue the search later.
Also in 2025, the Polish side conducted exhumation works on the territory of Ukraine, in particular at the site of the former village of Pužniki (Ternopil region) and the former village of Starye Zboishcha (now within Lviv).