Poland Revokes Zelensky's Highest State Award; Ukraine Warns Moscow Benefits
Poland has stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the highest state honor, prompting Ukraine to warn that Russia will gain from the move. The decision is tied to the 1943 Volhynia massacre of Poles by Ukrainian nationalists.
Poland has revoked the Order of the White Eagle, the country's highest state decoration, previously awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022. The decision is linked to the Volhynia massacre during World War II.
The Volhynia tragedy was an ethnic cleansing campaign carried out by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) against Polish civilians. On July 11, 1943, UPA began organized mass killings in Volhynia, which continued until 1945. An estimated 60,000 to 100,000 ethnic Poles were murdered. In retaliation and subsequent partisan warfare, between 2,000 and 3,000 Ukrainians also lost their lives. As violence spread to other Polish regions, the communist regime conducted ethnic cleansing, killing approximately 20,000 Ukrainians by 1947.
Ukrainian officials warn that Poland's move to strip Zelensky of the award is counterproductive and will benefit Moscow, potentially undermining solidarity between Ukraine and Poland in the face of Russian aggression.
