MOSCOW: Russia has expressed its strong condemnation after a Ukrainian man, who served in one of Adolf Hitler’s units during World War II (WWII), was presented as a hero to Canada’s parliament during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week.
Ninety-eight-year-old Yaroslav Hunka received two standing ovations from Canadian politicians, an incident that has since prompted the speaker of Canada’s parliament, Anthony Rota, to issue an apology to Jewish groups for the matter.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov characterized the episode as a careless disregard for historical truth and emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of Nazi crimes. “Such sloppiness of memory is outrageous,” Peskov stated during a press briefing. He further noted that in many Western countries, including Canada, there has been a lack of awareness among the younger generation about the events of World War II and the threat of fascism.
Russia’s Commitment to Fight Fascism
Peskov reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to an “irreconcilable fight” against fascism and expressed concern over the resurgence of such ideologies, particularly in Ukraine.
During World War II, when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, some Ukrainian nationalists aligned themselves with Nazi units due to their perception of the Germans as liberators from Soviet oppression. Hunka served in World War II as a member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, according to the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Russia has voiced ongoing concerns about the rise of far-right ideologies in Ukraine and their potential impact on regional stability.
