Ukraine Reburies OUN Founder Yevhen Konovalets at Military Cemetery

On Tuesday, August 18, the remains of Col. Yevhen Konovalets, the founder of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its first head, were reburied at Ukraine's National Military Memorial Cemetery. President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the ceremony, emphasizing the national significance of the event. Zelensky described Konovalets as an exemplary warrior and significant statesman, highlighting his lifelong fight for Ukraine's restoration and independence.

However, he also noted that Ukraine's independence was never fully established during Konovalets' time due to a lack of unity, wisdom among political leaders, and the ability to build real ties with the world. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine's time has come and the memory of Ukraine's liberation struggle serves as a guide for the present, warning against repeating past mistakes and outlining the nation's national benchmarks.

He also pledged to return all Ukrainian heroes buried abroad to their homeland. The remains of Konovalets were exhumed from Rotterdam's Crooswijk cemetery on August 11 and delivered to Ukraine on August 13, receiving full state and military honors. The monument from Konovalets's grave was also brought to the Zashkiv region, where it will be preserved at the colonel's museum estate.