Israel Condemns Reburial of OUN Leader Melnyk: Key Details Behind the Controversy.

Reburial of Andriy Melnyk

According to Espreso.tv: Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed regret over Ukraine's decision to hold an official state ceremony for the reburial of Andriy Melnyk, a leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) who historically collaborated with the Nazis. The remains of Melnyk and his wife, Sofia Fedak, were repatriated to Ukraine for reburial.

Andriy Melnyk was a prominent 20th-century military and political figure. He began his career as a colonel in the Ukrainian People's Army and maintained close ties with Yevhen Konovalets, serving as his comrade and relative. Melnyk also co-founded the Ukrainian Military Organization (UVO) and was arrested in 1924, spending five years in Polish prisons. Following Konovalets' death in 1938, he took leadership of the Ukrainian Nationalist leadership.

Activities During World War II

During World War II, Melnyk was based in Berlin. From early 1942, he was held under house arrest, and from February 1944, he was interned in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. After the war, Melnyk spent several years in displaced persons camps before settling in Luxembourg in late 1945. In 1947, he was elected lifelong head of the OUN, and in 1957, he proposed the creation of the World Congress of Ukrainians. Andriy Melnyk died on November 1, 1964, in Cologne and was buried at the Bonvoisin Cemetery in Luxembourg.

On May 19, 2023, Luxembourg authorities granted permission for Melnyk's reburial in Ukraine. His remains and those of his wife were repatriated to Ukraine on May 21, 2023. A general memorial ceremony for Andriy Melnyk and his wife took place in Ukraine on May 22-23, 2023, sparking varied reactions in society, including a statement from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

“We regret the decision to hold an official state ceremony for the reburial of OUN leader Andriy Melnyk, who collaborated with the Nazis.” — Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The reburial ceremony of Andriy Melnyk became a significant event in Ukraine, raising questions about historical memory and the assessment of past political figures. Israel's reaction underscores the sensitivity surrounding Nazi collaboration, a topic that resonates not only within Ukrainian society but also across the international community. This incident is likely to fuel further debates on how nations remember their historical figures and their roles in global conflicts.