Warsaw and Kyiv exhume Volyn victims at centre of dip
Polish and Ukrainian teams are conducting joint exhumations of victims from the Volyn massacres of World War II. This effort is seen as a potential step toward healing long-standing diplomatic tensions regarding historical interpretations of the events.
Why it matters
Addressing historical grievances is crucial for maintaining the strategic alliance between Poland and Ukraine during the ongoing regional conflict.
World: Warsaw and Kyiv exhume Volyn victims at centre of dip
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Warsaw and Kyiv exhume Volyn victims at centre of diplomatic quarrel
Disagreements over what happened and who is responsible for the Volyn massacres have long cast a shadow over ties between the otherwise now close neighbours.
Archaeologists recover human remains at the exhumation site of the World War II Volhynia massacre near the destroyed village of Ostrivky, Volyn region on July 28, 2026. (AFP)
UKRAINE - Beneath two now-deserted villages in western Ukraine - - the site of WWII-era massacres, archaeologists are uncovering the bones at the heart of a dispute that has strained relations between Warsaw and Kyiv for years.
Between 1943 and 1945, some 70,000-100,000 civilians were killed by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) in territory occupied by Nazi Germany, according to Polish estimates of the toll.
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