A recent round of search and exhumation efforts at a site linked to the Volhynian tragedy has not uncovered any mass graves. This announcement was made by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, which oversees the investigation.
The search took place in the village of Uhly, located in the Sarny district of Rivne Oblast, involving collaboration between Ukrainian and Polish specialists. The team examined all designated areas, covering a total of 1,000 square meters. Notably, they focused on the former German Evangelical cemetery and adjacent plots, where it was believed Polish victims of the tragic events of 1943 may have been buried.
Investigators found only civilian burials dating from the late 19th to early 20th century at the old cemetery, along with a solitary grave of a man whose circumstances and date of death are yet to be determined. No mass graves from the summer of 1943 were discovered.
Background Information: Before World War II, the village of Uhly had a mixed Ukrainian-Polish population. Historical records indicate that in May 1943, the Polish segment of the village was largely destroyed, leading to the near-total disappearance of the community as it existed prior to the war. It is documented that on May 12, 1943, units of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) conducted operations that resulted in the deaths of approximately 100 Poles and several Ukrainians. However, the precise circumstances, sequence of events, and total number of casualties remain insufficiently studied due to a lack of eyewitness accounts and material evidence.
Discrepancies in Casualty Estimates
Previous reports have indicated that Ukrainian historians and officials have questioned the casualty figures related to the Volhynian tragedy as presented by Poland. In Polish historiography, estimates of Polish fatalities range from 100,000 to 150,000, yet these figures lack corroborating evidence.
For instance, excavations in the village of Puzhnyky in Ternopil Oblast revealed remains of 42 victims associated with the Volhynian tragedy, while Polish experts had anticipated discovering at least double or triple that number.
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Recent excavation efforts in Ukraine related to the Volhynian tragedy have found no mass graves, raising questions about previously reported casualty figures. The investigation, conducted by Ukrainian and Polish experts, revealed only civilian burials from earlier periods.
Source: UNIAN