A search operation has commenced in the village of Uhly, Rivne Oblast, aimed at uncovering victims of the Volhynia tragedy, believed to involve mass graves from 1943.
According to Sviatoslav Sheremeta, head of the memorial research center “Dolia,” the initial phase of the excavation will continue until March 27. The team comprises archaeologists, anthropologists, and geneticists.
On the first day of the excavation, specialists uncovered fragments of human remains. However, these remains were determined to be from individual graves in an old cemetery rather than from the suspected mass burial site.
The remains will undergo analysis, with genetic material collected for DNA testing and future identification.
The tragedy in Kuty is rooted in historical events. Family accounts, particularly from Polish citizen Karolina Romanowska, recount an armed attack on the village on May 12, 1943.
Her great-grandfather, who served as the village mayor at the time, reportedly buried over 70 victims in a deserted German cemetery among the oaks. The deceased included both Poles and Ukrainians from mixed families.
Historians from Ukraine and Poland currently offer differing perspectives on those responsible for the tragedy. The Polish Institute of National Remembrance asserts that the attack on civilians was carried out by a unit of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) led by Mykola Semeniuk, known as “Yarema.” In contrast, Ukrainian historians cite testimonies from UPA veterans, including Colonel Vasyl Levkovych, who denied any orders to kill civilians. Some experts are exploring the possibility of involvement by Soviet sabotage groups or red partisans, who were active in Volhynia at that time and may have sought to incite interethnic conflict.
If the excavation identifies the mass grave site, the team will prepare documentation to obtain permission for a formal reburial of the victims.
The Volhynia tragedy refers to the interethnic Polish-Ukrainian conflict that occurred between 1943 and 1945, affecting Volhynia, Eastern Galicia, and Zakerzonnia. Estimates suggest that around 80,000 to 100,000 Poles lost their lives, while Ukrainian losses are estimated at 15,000 to 20,000.
Further details on the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Poland regarding the Volhynia tragedy can be found in the article by RBC-Ukraine.
The search for victims of the Volhynia tragedy has begun in Rivne, uncovering remains linked to a historical conflict. Differing narratives from Polish and Ukrainian historians highlight the complexities surrounding this tragic event.