Communists to Protest Efforts to Recognize Anti-Soviet Fighters as Veterans

KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukraine's Communists planned protests May 5 against Ukrainian government plans to give anti-Soviet partisans the same recognition offered to World War II veterans.

Petro Symonenko, head of the Communist Party, announced the creation of a special headquarters aimed at "preventing the mockery of the heroism and memory of our grandfathers and fathers."


Members of Ukrainian Insurgent Army UPA
The protests come amid plans by President Viktor Yushchenko and his allies to win "reconciliation" between Ukrainians who fought against the Nazis and partisans who fought both Nazis and Soviets.

The issue is particularly sensitive ahead of the 60th anniversary Monday of the Allied victory over the Nazis in Europe.

The government acknowledged the process will be slow, because many Red Army veterans consider their countrymen from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army to be "enemies of the people." About 100,000 Ukrainians participated in the partisan army, primarily those living in western Ukraine.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Anatoliy Gritsenko acknowledged May 5 that "society is still not psychologically ready for full reconciliation," but as more time passes "we will talk not about victory but more about honor and memory."

Source: AP