Ukraine repatriates remains of independence leader slain in Rotterdam

Ukraine has brought home the remains of Yevhen Konovalets, a pivotal figure in the country's independence movement who was assassinated in Rotterdam in 1938. The repatriation was marked by a solemn nighttime ceremony in Kyiv, attended by soldiers of the 3rd Army Corps.

The ceremony took place at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, the main cathedral of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The coffin arrived in an original Austin armored car from the 1917-1921 Ukrainian revolution, which had been restored by the corps' repair battalion. Soldiers formed a corridor of torches as the procession arrived.

During the service, soldiers and Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the 3rd Army Corps, paid their respects and read the Prayer of a Ukrainian Nationalist. Biletskyi spoke of Konovalets as a unique figure, highlighting his military leadership and his continued fight for statehood even after it was lost.

Konovalets founded the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists in 1929 and worked from exile to build support for Ukraine's independence. He was killed by a Soviet agent who had infiltrated the group.

The reburial is part of a broader Ukrainian initiative to return the remains of prominent figures who were buried abroad, often after being forced into exile under Soviet rule. Biletskyi noted that many such figures remain in cemeteries worldwide and must be brought back.

Konovalets' remains will be temporarily interred at the National Military Memorial Cemetery outside Kyiv, according to the President's Office.