The Ukrainian government has approved plans to repatriate the remains of Andriy Melnyk, a prominent leader of the Ukrainian nationalist movement, and his wife, Sofia Fedak-Melnyk, from Luxembourg to Ukraine. This decision was formalized in a Cabinet order issued on May 15, which has since been removed from the government portal for unknown reasons.
The Cabinet’s directive outlines a series of actions to facilitate the repatriation process. It mandates that Ukrainian officials coordinate with Luxembourg authorities to secure the necessary permits for exhumation and transportation of the couple’s remains across the border.
Additionally, the order specifies that ceremonial events should be organized to honor the couple during their return to Ukraine, involving local government representatives, military personnel, and the public. The final interment will take place at the National Military Memorial Cemetery (NVMK) in Ukraine, accompanied by military honors.
Bohdan Chervak, the current leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), confirmed that Luxembourg has granted permission for the repatriation. He noted on social media that the return of the Melnyks was made possible through the efforts of the President’s Office, including General Kyrylo Budanov, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory.
In conjunction with the repatriation, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) announced that memorial services will be held from May 22 to 24 at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv, marking the arrival of the Melnyks’ remains.
Andriy Melnyk was a significant military and political figure in the 20th century, serving as a colonel in the Ukrainian People’s Army (UNR) and a close associate of Yevhen Konovalets. He co-founded the Ukrainian Military Organization (UVO) and served as its regional commander. His political activities led to his arrest in 1924 and subsequent imprisonment in Polish prisons.
After Konovalets’ assassination in 1938, Melnyk assumed leadership of the OUN. During World War II, he was in Berlin, initially hoping for collaboration with Nazi Germany to form Ukrainian armed units, but he soon became disillusioned with German policies toward Ukraine.
Following a split within the OUN, he led a more moderate faction and organized propaganda efforts in major Ukrainian cities, which drew the ire of the Nazis. He was placed under house arrest in early 1942 and later imprisoned in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp from February 1944.
After the war, Melnyk spent time in displaced persons camps before being invited by the Grand Duke of Luxembourg to reside there. He dedicated his post-war life to uniting Ukrainian émigré communities and was elected as the lifelong head of the OUN in 1947. His vision for a World Congress of Ukrainians was realized after his death.
Melnyk passed away on November 1, 1964, in Cologne and was buried in the Bonvaux Cemetery in Luxembourg.
The Ukrainian government has authorized the repatriation of Andriy Melnyk and his wife from Luxembourg, marking a significant step in honoring their legacy. The process involves coordination with Luxembourg authorities and plans for ceremonial events in Ukraine.