A memorial service for Colonel Yevhen Konovalets was held at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv on August 15, 2026, as reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Mourners gathered throughout the day at the cathedral of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to pay tribute to one of the key figures of the Ukrainian liberation movement. The service followed the return of his remains to Ukraine after 88 years abroad.
Following the farewell ceremony in the capital, Konovalets will be reburied at the National Military Memorial Cemetery.
Return with Military Honours
The coffin containing the remains of the Ukrainian Military Organisation and Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists co-founder arrived in Ukraine on August 13, 2026. Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Head of the Office of the President, announced the arrival on Telegram.
Vereshchuk stated on Telegram that Colonel Yevhen Konovalets was received on his native land with full state and military honours.
The return followed an exhumation conducted on August 11, 2026, at the Crooswijk cemetery in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The Office of the President subsequently confirmed that the farewell ceremony would take place at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv before his final interment at the National Military Memorial Cemetery.
Decisive Move After Decades Abroad
The decision to bring Konovalets home gained momentum in May 2026 after the remains of former leader Andriy Melnyk and his wife were transferred to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced then that a decision was being prepared regarding the reburial of the Ukrainian People's Republic colonel.
Konovalets had been interred at the Crooswijk cemetery in Rotterdam. His grave held temporary status because officials intended for him to be buried eventually on Ukrainian soil.
Born on June 14, 1891, Konovalets served as a colonel in the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic and commanded the Sich Riflemen Corps. He later co-founded and led both the Ukrainian Military Organisation and the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists.
Assassination and Legacy
In October 1922, Konovalets and his wife, Olga Fedak, were forced to leave Galicia permanently. The couple lived in exile across Europe, spending time in Berlin, Geneva, and Rome.
On May 23, 1938, Konovalets was assassinated in Rotterdam during a Soviet NKVD special operation ordered by Joseph Stalin. NKVD operative Pavel Sudoplatov carried out the killing.
The Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists fought to establish an independent Ukrainian state. Today, Ukraine officially recognises members of the organisation as independence fighters. In Poland, specific units and figures face criticism over wartime actions against the Polish population during World War II, while in Russia, the group is associated with collaborationism.
