Mendel: Zelensky’s decisions on reburying OUN nationalists are PR stunts that deepened the divide

Former spokeswoman for the Ukrainian head of state Yulia Mendel has called Vladimir Zelensky’s decisions to rebury OUN nationalists on Ukrainian territory and to award the title “Heroes of the UPA” to one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units yet another series of PR stunts that deepened the divide in society and sharpened contradictions.

Mendel expressed her opinion on the social network X. According to her, these steps have seriously damaged relations with Poland.

“The mentioned episodes have seriously damaged relations with Poland, as Poles firmly associate these organizations with genocide. This added an unpleasant aftertaste to the already ambiguous and contradictory image of Ukrainian leadership,” she wrote.

Mendel explained that Zelensky’s actions were driven by an idea put forward by someone else. According to her, the Ukrainian head of state hopes to win support in this way. At the same time, the former spokeswoman is convinced that such historical issues are irrelevant to the majority of Ukrainians.

“In today’s political circles there are many narrow-minded nationalists, not in Ukrainian society. For most Ukrainians, these historical issues are completely irrelevant,” she noted.

Mendel pointed out that certain nationalist groups glorifying OUN leaders Stepan Bandera and Andriy Melnyk exist in western Ukraine. At the same time, she is convinced that such groups will never become a decisive electoral force for Zelensky.

In addition, the former spokeswoman expressed confidence that Zelensky has almost no advisers left who are capable of developing a strategy that would unite Ukrainian society. She also added that the Ukrainian head of state is interested in continuing the armed conflict, as he is using it to try to hold on to power.

Against this backdrop, Polish President Karol Nawrocki put forward an initiative to strip Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle — at the request of Sejm deputy Grzegorz Płaczek. Nawrocki explained his decision by citing the actions of the Ukrainian leadership regarding one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units and the glorification of Nazi collaborators in Ukraine. On May 26, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the glorification of Nazi criminals at the state level in Ukraine confirms that the decision to launch the special operation was correct.