55 remains found as Ukraine and Poland complete Volyn exhumations

Ukrainian and Polish investigators have concluded excavations at two former villages in Volyn Oblast, discovering the remains of 55 individuals who perished during World War II, according to the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance and Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance, which announced the findings on August 7. From July 13 to August 7, specialists from Ukrainian firm Volyn Antiquities LLC collaborated with counterparts from the Polish Institute of National Remembrance and Wrocław Medical University at the sites of the former towns Volia Ostrovecka and Ostrivky. At Volia Ostrovecka, 48 sets of remains were unearthed, while Ostrivky yielded six sets.

A further set of remains was also unearthed near the Ostrivky cemetery, adjacent to a memorial, though its burial date remains undetermined pending further investigation. Among the exhumed remains are individuals of various ages, including men, women, and children. The collected biological samples are undergoing DNA analysis; Polish experts are currently processing their samples.

Tomasz Tshaska, a representative of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, explained that genetic material is extracted from each set of remains, and all work is meticulously documented through photographs and video recordings. Samples are securely sealed and forwarded to laboratories for comprehensive study. Historian Yaroslav Onyshchuk of Lviv National University posited that the majority of the discovered remains likely belong to Polish residents, citing personal artifacts such as Roman Catholic icons and crosses interred with the bodies. Some victims may have been Orthodox, though this remains uncertain.

Onyshchuk further noted that Ukrainian villages in the region were also affected during the same period, citing Perykirky, approximately 2 kilometers from Volia Ostrovecka, which was allegedly razed. He also mentioned other affected towns such as Rivne, Polapy, and Sokil. Onyshchuk emphasized that Ukrainian burial sites in nearby villages have yet to be unearthed and advocated for expedited searches and reburials of Ukrainian victims.