Remains of Poles massacred by Ukrainian nationalists in WWII exhumed in Ukraine
Around half of the remains belonged to children, and most show signs of brutal deaths, including skulls pierced with farming tools.
The remains of 55 additional victims from the Ukrainian nationalist massacres during World War Two have been unearthed in Ukraine. The majority of the victims were children, with several showing evidence of violent deaths, including skulls pierced by farming tools. This discovery comes as tensions persist between Poland and Ukraine over the so-called Volhynia massacres.
These atrocities, which claimed the lives of around 100,000 Poles, were carried out by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). President Volodymyr Zelensky recently named a military unit after the UPA, leading to outrage in Poland. However, both nations are hopeful that ongoing exhumations can help mend relations. The newly discovered remains were found in Ostrówki and Wola Ostrowiecka, villages that were part of Poland before the war but are now in western Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance and the "Volynskie Starożytności" enterprise conducted the exhumations, which began in July. Poland's state institute has now confirmed the findings, with most remains showing signs of brutal deaths. The IPN plans to bury the newly found remains in a ceremony on the 83rd anniversary of the massacre on August 30.
Poland has utilized DNA testing for the first time to identify the remains, bringing closure to families who had awaited answers for generations.
Written by urgent.news from Notes from Poland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
