Ukraine is bringing its Heroes home and restoring historical justice, says Yulia Svyrydenko during the reburial ceremony of Andriy Melnyk

Today, the National Military Memorial Cemetery hosted the historic reburial of Colonel of the Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and OUN leader Andriy Melnyk, as well as his wife Sofia Fedak-Melnyk. After decades abroad, these prominent figures of Ukraine’s national liberation movement have returned to their homeland, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko said.

She stressed that this is the first step in implementing the initiative of the President of Ukraine to establish a National Pantheon, and the first reburial in Ukraine’s history of prominent Ukrainians carried out at a high state level in cooperation between the Office of the President, Members of Parliament, the Government and the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance.

“We are bringing our Heroes home and restoring historical justice,” Yulia Svyrydenko emphasised.

The Prime Minister recalled the words of Andriy Melnyk, who once said: “We know that the Ukrainian State will not arise merely from a fortunate coincidence of circumstances, but will be built first and foremost by Ukrainian hands.”

The Prime Minister called on Ukrainians to remember the Heroes who defended Ukraine throughout the centuries and stressed that their cause is being continued today by Ukraine’s defenders, who are resisting the same enemy.

“I thank our warriors for every day we have. We honour and support our Heroes. Glory to Ukraine!” Yulia Svyrydenko stressed.