The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture has issued formal consent for conducting search operations for the remains of Polish victims in the former village of Huta Pieniacka. This decision, announced on February 18, 2026, implements agreements made during the December summit of Presidents Karol Nawrocki and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The work aims to locate burial sites of villagers murdered in 1944 by Ukrainian nationalists and German collaborators.

Official consent from the ministry of culture

The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture approved the application for work in Huta Pieniacka, submitted by the IPN partner on February 16, 2026.

Result of the presidents' summit

The decision stems from direct agreements between Karol Nawrocki and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their recent meeting in Warsaw.

Goal of archaeological work

The research aims at identifying burial sites of victims of the pacification in February 1944, murdered by Ukrainian and German units.

Authorities in Kyiv have decided to issue another permit for search operations in the Lviv Oblast, interpreted as a significant step toward resolving historical disputes between Poland and Ukraine. The consent concerns the area of the former village Huta Pieniacka, which is now administratively within the boundaries of the localities Zharkiv and Holubytsia. The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture reported that the application in this matter was submitted on February 16, 2026 and was reviewed positively based on a program previously approved by the Lviv Regional State Administration. A key role in the process was played by the enterprise "Volhynian Antiquities", the Ukrainian partner of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance. The Huta Pieniacka massacre occurred on February 28, 1944. The village was pacified by soldiers of the 14th SS Grenadier Division and units of Ukrainian nationalists, leading to the deaths of between 600 and 1,200 Polish residents. This decision is a direct result of a recent meeting attended by President of Poland Karol Nawrocki and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During talks in Warsaw, the issue of exhumation and dignified burial of victims of the Volhynian Massacre was one of the priority topics. Representatives of the Polish IPN emphasize that the current permit concerns the location and exploratory searches, which is a necessary step before proceeding to proper exhumations. The Ukrainian side notes that these actions fall within the framework of cooperation of the Polish-Ukrainian working group on historical memory. The issuance of documents coincides with the 82nd anniversary of the tragedy, commemorated, among other events, by the performance "Ballad of Volhynia" in Nysa and ceremonies in Babice. „The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine has issued another permit for conducting search operations in the area of the former village of Huta Pieniacka after reviewing the application from February 16, 2026.” — Statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture 82 years — since the destruction of the Polish village [{"dataISO": "2025-10-17", "data": "October 17, 2025", "event": "Approval of the work program by the Lviv administration"}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-16", "data": "February 16, 2026", "event": "Submission of the official permit application"}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-18", "data": "February 18, 2026", "event": "Issuance of consent by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture"}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-28", "data": "February 28, 2026", "event": "82nd anniversary of the pacification of the locality"}]

Mentioned People

  • Karol Nawrocki — President of Poland, who negotiated consent for search operations during a meeting with the President of Ukraine.
  • Wołodymyr Zełenski — President of Ukraine, who declared cooperation on the exhumation of victims of the Volhynian Massacre.