Ukraine, Poland Plan Coordinated Wartime Exhumations at Multiple Sites

Ukraine plans to begin exhumations in September 2025 of Ukrainian remains improperly buried in Poland, starting in the village of Jureczkowa, following a preparatory visit in mid-August. This initiative follows a December 2024 exchange where Poland provided 13 potential sites for exhumations while Ukraine gave four, reflecting ongoing bilateral cooperation amid complex historical tensions related to the Volyn massacres during 1943-1945. Concurrently, joint Ukrainian-Polish exhumation work continues at the former Zboiska cemetery in Lviv, where remains of Polish soldiers from early World War II are being uncovered, with expectations of up to 30 individuals found. Ukrainian officials emphasize that these efforts aim to lower political tensions and foster mutual respect and dialogue, as these historical disputes impact Ukraine's European integration aspirations. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Ukrainian Deputy Culture Minister Andrii Nadzhos have highlighted the significance of these projects as part of shared remembrance and cooperation. Despite intensified defense and diplomatic collaboration between Ukraine and Poland since the Russian invasion, these exhumations represent important steps toward reconciliation over difficult episodes in their shared history.