The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine has reacted to the demand by Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Joel Lion to repeal the Ternopil City Council's decision on renaming a local football stadium in honor of Chief Commander of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), Roman Shukhevych.
"Preserving the national memory of the Ukrainian people remains one of the priorities of Ukraine's state policy. Discussions in this area should be held at the level of historians. And diplomats should work to strengthen relations of friendship and mutual respect between peoples, not vice versa," a spokesperson for MFA Ukraine, Oleg Nikolenko, wrote on Twitter.
Background
On March 9, 2021, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Joel Lion said he condemns Ternopil City Council's decision to rename a local football stadium in honor of Chief Commander of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) Roman Shukhevych. He demanded that the decision be reversed.
Read alsoUkraine, Israel in talks on mutual recognition of "vaccination passports"UNIAN memo. Roman Shukhevych (June 30, 1907 - March 5, 1950) was a Ukrainian politician and statesman, a serviceman, and a military leader of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
