Ukraine Files Exhumation Requests with Polish Institute of National Remembrance

The Ukrainian ambassador to Poland has confirmed that Kiev submitted formal requests to the Institute of National Remembrance seeking exhumation permits for search operations in three Polish locations.

Search operations in Sahryń and Łasków

Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar announced that his government expects to receive permits this month to begin search and exhumation works in August. The efforts specifically target sites related to the 1944 Sahryń massacre, where units of the Home Army and Peasant Battalions killed Ukrainian civilians.

Bodnar noted that while Sahryń already has a monument listing victims, the neighboring village of Łasków remains unexplored. Ukraine intends to prioritize initial searches and subsequent exhumations in that location.

IPN status on pending applications

The Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) confirmed that it received applications for three locations: Sahryń, Łasków, and Przemyśl. Karol Starowicz of the IPN stated that procedural support was granted for Łasków, while the other two requests require further documentation.

The IPN clarified that no new documents or supplements have been received regarding those sites. Ambassador Bodnar denied that these permits are tied to Poland’s own requests for search operations in Ukraine, noting that Warsaw has already submitted 26 such applications.

Ukrainian integration and post-war return

Addressing recent attacks on Ukrainians in Poland, Ambassador Bodnar described them as isolated incidents rather than a systemic trend. He emphasized that millions of Ukrainians living in Poland contribute value to society and that the political class has consistently condemned acts of aggression.

Bodnar expressed hope that once the war concludes, most Ukrainian refugees will return home to assist in the reconstruction effort. He underscored that many citizens moved to Poland specifically to escape the frontlines and constant aerial bombardment.