Three Reasons Ukrposhta’s CEO Believes Zelenskyy Sent His Order via Rival Nova Poshta

Ukrposhta CEO Weighs In

According to Главком: Ihor Smilyansky, CEO of Ukrposhta, has offered his take on why President Volodymyr Zelenskyy chose to return the Order of the White Eagle to Poland using competitor Nova Poshta rather than his own state-owned company. Smilyansky outlined three possible explanations for the decision:

• The first theory points to Nova Poshta’s branding. Smilyansky noted that the company’s colors-white and red-match Poland’s national flag, remarking:

  “Poland’s national colors are white and red, just like NP’s. So maybe they figured a state award should be sent back in matching colors.”

• The second theory involves legal restrictions on Ukrposhta. According to Smilyansky, the Presidential Office’s legal team may have looked into the matter and concluded that Ukrposhta is strictly prohibited by law from shipping state awards. He added:

  “Nova Poshta isn’t a postal service; it’s an express courier.”

• The third theory concerns delivery issues at the Polish border. Smilyansky pointed out that “delivery within Poland is handled by Poczta Polska,” raising doubts about whether that service could reliably deliver the medal.

Fallout Over the Award

On June 19, Polish President Andrzej Duda stripped Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle. The move came in response to the naming of a Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). In reaction, several Ukrainian officials-including Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar, and Presidential Office head Kyrylo Budanov-announced they would return their own Polish honors.

The following day, Zelenskyy confirmed he had shipped the medal via Nova Poshta. Smilyansky also revealed that for the last two months, Ukrposhta’s trucks have been blocked by Polish customs, forcing the company to reroute transit through Hungary and Slovakia instead. “Polish authorities let Nova Poshta’s vehicles through,” he explained, noting that those cars carry express shipments, not official state postal documents.

Vyacheslav Abroskin, former first deputy head of Ukraine’s National Police, warned that the wave of returned awards could strain Kyiv-Warsaw relations and ultimately benefit Russia.

This episode highlights growing friction between Ukraine and Poland, fueled by historical and political disputes. The return of state honors signals rising political tension that could impact bilateral cooperation, especially on security and economic issues-making the coming steps from both governments critical to watch.

In light of these developments, it's important to understand the broader implications of Zelenskyy's decision. The return of Poland's highest honor via courier not only highlights the complexities of diplomatic relations but also raises questions about the logistics involved in such actions. For a detailed account of Zelenskyy's decision to send the Order through Nova Poshta, you can read more in our article on the topic here.