Exhumation of the remains of Polish victims of the Volyn tragedy buried in Ternopil Oblast, where the village of Puzhnyky was located in the 1940s, will begin in April, Polish RMF FM reported on Jan. 13.
Ukraine and Poland agreed in early 2025 to exhume the first victims of the Volyn tragedy.
The Volyn tragedy, also known as the Volyn massacres, took place in 1943 during World War II on the territory of Nazi-occupied Ukraine. Tens of thousands of Poles were killed by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Thousands of Ukrainians were also killed in retaliation.
The Volyn massacres are a contentious topic between Ukraine and Poland and have often led to soured diplomatic relations.
Poland characterizes the events as genocide perpetrated by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), while Ukraine has called for shared acknowledgment of responsibility for the atrocities.
The Freedom and Democracy Foundation, which uncovered the grave site two years ago, received permission from the Ukrainian authorities to exhume the remains and conduct further research.
The exhumation's primary purpose is to identify the people whose remains were found in the pit near the former cemetery. Experts are already collecting genetic material from descendants, the media outlet reported.
Following the excavation, the remains will be examined by Polish archaeologists and anthropologists, Deputy Chairman of the Freedom and Democracy Foundation Maciej Dancewicz said.
The exhumations represent a significant step forward in resolving longstanding historical tensions and strengthening Polish-Ukrainian relations amid challenges posed by Russia's aggression.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Donald Tusk previously met in Lviv on Dec. 17 to address historical reconciliation, including the legacy of the Volyn massacre.
Dinara Khalilova
(Updated: )
