Exhumation of victims of the Volyn tragedy in Puzhnyky: researchers begin to remove remains

Exhumations in Ternopil region began on April 24

Tetiana Lanchukovska

News editor at LIGA.net

April 30, 18:22

Exhumation (Photo: Vladyslav Musiienko/EPA)

The research team that is exhuming the victims of the Volyn tragedy at the site of the former village of Puzhnyky in the Ternopil region has begun to remove the remains. This is stated in a statement by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, the Freedom and Democracy Foundation, Pomeranian Medical University and the Institute of National Remembrance, reports the media PAP .

The report states that in Puzhnyky "the cleaning and securing of the territory, as well as the installation of research infrastructure, have been completed.".

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The research team determined the scale and size of the grave. Its top layer was uncovered and thoroughly cleaned.

"The group has started recovering the remains. Without exception, all the remains will undergo the identification procedure. Genetic expertise allows us to obtain DNA regardless of the age of the victim - even children. Personal belongings, including buttons and fragments of rosaries, will also be preserved during the work," the statement said .

The exhumation, coordinated by the Freedom and Democracy Foundation, involves experts from the Pomeranian Medical University, the Volyn Antiquities organization, and the Institute of National Remembrance. The work is fully funded from the budget of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland.

on January 10, 2025, Tusk announced the first decisions on the exhumation of Polish victims of the Volyn tragedy. He called it a breakthrough and said that the Polish side expects further decisions.
Later, these data were confirmed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sibir.
On January 11, the Polish Ministry of Culture reported that Ukraine and Poland had handed each other lists of places where it is planned to search for and exhume the remains of "victims of mutual historical conflicts".
On January 13, it became known that Ukraine granted permission to exhume the remains of Polish victims of the Volyn tragedy in the Ternopil region.
On April 24, work began on the exhumation of the remains of Polish victims of the Volyn tragedy.