Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy 18 participated in the ceremony for reburial of the first head of the OUN Yevhen Konovalets in August. The event took place on the grounds of the National Military Memorial Cemetery.
The head of state emphasized that Konovalets fought for Ukraine's independence throughout his known life. He wrote this in his Telegram channel.
What did Zelenskyy say about Konovalets?
The president delivered a speech at the reburial ceremony. He noted that Yevhen Konovalets was a exemplary warrior and a significant statesman.
Throughout his conscious life he fought so that Ukraine would be restored and become a truly independent power,
the head of state said.
He noted that, unfortunately, at that time Ukraine could not establish itself as a state. According to him, there was a lack of unity and wisdom among the state's figures of that era, and there was also a lack of ability to build real connections with the world.
"But the time of Ukraine has come. Independence was restored, and we defended Ukraine's right to be itself. From now on, no one will take away Kyiv's blue-and-yellow flags, and only Ukraine will choose its national path," Zelenskyy said.
The president also said that now, remembering the national liberation struggle, "we all know with absolute certainty what mistakes must not be allowed." From now on it is known what Ukraine needs and what should be the focus of its attention and efforts.
"We know what national guidelines our state should have," the head of state concluded.
Reburial of Yevhen Konovalets: watch the video from Zelenskyy’s page
Prime Minister Serhiy Korigetsky, the head of the President's Office Kyrylo Budanov, and his deputy Iryna Vereshchuk also took part in the procession.
Among those present were Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk and his deputy Olena Kondratyuk, the head of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs Vitaliy Kim, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sibiga, acting Minister of Defense Yevheniy Khmara, and Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Vyhivsky.
Recall that Yevhen Konovalets died as a result of an explosion organized by Soviet agent Pavel Sudoplatov. After the death of the first head of the OUN, he was buried in a wooden coffin, inside which a metal coffin with a small window was placed.
For 88 years, the colonel rested in the Croswijk cemetery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 11 August his remains were exhumed, and 13 August Konovalets’s ashes, with state and military honors, were returned to Ukraine. 16 August a farewell ceremony for the colonel took place at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Час України настав, – Зеленський вшанував пам'ять Євгена Коновальця". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Channel 24.