Ukraine Approves Controversial 'Pantheon' Memorial in Kyiv Amid Poland and Israel Criticism

Ukraine’s parliament voted 287‑to‑? in a fast‑track session to create a national “Pantheon” in Kyiv that will honor historic figures dating back to the Kievan Rus, as well as members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the amendment urgent, said it would help shape a “national and civic identity,” and announced he would sign it immediately.

The plan has provoked diplomatic friction. Poland condemned the inclusion of UPA fighters, who were responsible for mass killings of Poles and Jews during World War II, and recalled an award previously given to Zelenskyy. Israel’s Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem expressed deep concern that the memorial could honor individuals linked to Nazi collaboration. Germany has so far stayed neutral. The decision comes as Ukraine continues its war with Russia, which itself invoked “de‑Nazification” as a pretext for the invasion.