Presidential Spokesman Accuses Tusk of Manipulation Over Volhynia Exhumations
Presidential spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz has publicly lashed out at Prime Minister Donald Tusk, labeling his claims regarding the resumption of Volhynia search and exhumation efforts as deceptive...
Presidential spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz has publicly lashed out at Prime Minister Donald Tusk, labeling his claims regarding the resumption of Volhynia search and exhumation efforts as deceptive political manipulation.
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Dispute Over Credit for Exhumations
On Saturday, July 11, presidential spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz took to X to criticize Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s recent statement claiming credit for the renewed search and exhumation works in Volhynia. Leśkiewicz explicitly called the Prime Minister’s assertion “sheer audacity.”
Leśkiewicz argued that the authorization for these works stems directly from the December 19, 2025, meeting between the presidents of Poland and Ukraine in Warsaw. He noted that since that encounter, the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) has received multiple permits, leading to work in locations such as Ostrówki, Wola Ostrowiecka, and Huta Pieniacka, with further authorizations currently in process.
The Prime Minister’s Position
In a separate social media message, Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized that the truth is a moral duty toward victims and a necessity for overcoming a painful past. He framed the identification of perpetrators and the condemnation of crimes as essential steps for the future.
Tusk declared that his administration undertook effective efforts to resume long-stalled exhumations for victims of the Volhynia massacre and other 20th-century tragedies. He announced plans for a Wall of Memory in Warsaw featuring the names of every identified victim.
History of Exhumations in Volhynia
Efforts to recover remains of Polish victims began in August 1992 in Ostrówki and Wola Ostrowiecka, where hundreds of bodies were unearthed. Subsequent archaeological missions occurred throughout the 2010s, including significant work in 2013 and 2015.
A diplomatic impasse occurred in 2017 when the Ukrainian IPN imposed a moratorium on searches following the dismantling of a UPA monument in Hruszowice. This moratorium was lifted in late 2024 following discussions between the foreign ministers of Poland and Ukraine.
Recent operations in Puźniki and ongoing research in Ostrówki and Wola Ostrowiecka continue the process of locating and reburying victims. Further investigative work is slated to begin on August 17.