The Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance is preparing new reburials for prominent figures

The Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance (UINR) plans to continue its work on repatriating and reburying the remains of prominent figures in Ukrainian history in their homeland. The institute’s director, Oleksandr Alferov, confirmed that the next person on the list for reburial will be a member of the top military leadership of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UPR).

According to , Alferov stated that the agency has already compiled a list of names and is actively working on locating the remains and preparing for their exhumation. Although details of the upcoming activities are not yet being disclosed in the interests of the investigation, the expert noted that the reburial plans cover the period up to 2026. In addition to the 20th-century struggle for independence, the institute’s specialists are searching for the burial sites of hetmans and princes; the results of this work will be presented to the public immediately upon its successful completion.

As part of a national strategy, in June 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the procedure for the reburial of prominent independence fighters at the National Military Memorial Cemetery (NMM). An important milestone in this effort was the recent repatriation of the remains of Colonel Andriy Melnyk of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR) Army and leader of the OUN, as well as the exhumation in Rotterdam of the remains of Yevhen Konovalets, which will also soon be transferred to the NMMC. The UINP also announced the launch of a new project aimed at monitoring and visiting the burial sites of figures of national significance to Ukraine across Europe.

As a reminder, earlier, the head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, approved an initiative to establish a National Pantheon of Heroes in Ukraine on the grounds of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. In his view, such a step is necessary “to restore historical memory and properly immortalize the names of outstanding statesmen and military leaders.”