A new monument now stands at Sofia Melnyk’s grave in the national military cemetery

Society today, 05:32 58 viewed

today, 05:32 58 viewed

На території військового кладовища встановлено новий пам'ятник Софії Мельник.

New headstone installed for Sofia Melnyk

According to Главком: A fresh monument has been placed on the grave of Sofia Melnyk (née Fedak) at the National Military Memorial Cemetery. Melnyk was a prominent figure in the Ukrainian nationalist movement and the wife of Andriy Melnyk, leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). The move came after public criticism erupted when the couple was reburied and Sofia’s original gravestone turned out to be noticeably smaller than her husband’s. The size difference sparked heated discussions on social media.

The new monument matches the style of Andriy Melnyk’s headstone. It has the same shape and now includes a photo of Sofia Melnyk. Journalist and historian Vakhtang Kipiani reported the installation, with the news carried by the outlet Glavcom.

Reburial of the Melnyk couple

On May 25, Andriy Melnyk and Sofia Fedak-Melnyk were reburied at the National Military Memorial Cemetery. Andriy Melnyk served as a colonel in the Ukrainian People’s Army and chaired the OUN. Ukraine continues its effort to bring back and reinter Ukrainian figures buried abroad. On April 22, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the start of work on a Pantheon of prominent Ukrainians.

'The mistake has been corrected. A new monument has been installed at the National Military Memorial Cemetery on the grave of Sofia Melnyk, née Fedak - a nationalist movement activist and wife of OUN leader Andriy Melnyk,' Vakhtang Kipiani stated.

The installation of a new monument for Sofia Melnyk underscores the importance of honoring Ukrainian figures who made significant contributions to the country’s history. This step also shows the authorities’ responsiveness to public opinion and their willingness to correct mistakes made in the process of commemorating national heroes. The ongoing effort to return and rebury Ukrainian figures buried abroad remains a key part of national policy, helping to strengthen national identity.