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Ukraine is continuing efforts to bring the remains of prominent historical figures back home. As part of the first stage of the project, around ten leaders of Ukraine’s liberation struggle will be reburied at the National Military Memorial Cemetery (NVMC).
Priority is being given to military figures who played key roles in the fight for Ukrainian statehood. Two dedicated sections of the cemetery have been allocated for their reburial.
The first group includes commanders of the Ukrainian Galician Army:
- Hnat Stefaniv
- Antin Kravs
- Viktor Kurmanovych
According to officials, the designated sections will also serve as burial sites for other military leaders who made significant contributions to Ukraine’s defense but may not qualify for inclusion in the future National Pantheon.
The Pantheon of Outstanding Ukrainians, which is still being developed, is expected to become the final resting place for the most prominent political and military leaders of Ukraine’s independence movement. Until it is completed, even the highest-ranking historical figures will be temporarily buried at the National Military Memorial Cemetery.
The initiative follows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 2026 announcement of a National Pantheon dedicated to honoring key figures in Ukrainian history and statehood.
The first step in the project was the return from Luxembourg of the remains of Andriy Melnyk and his wife Sofiia Melnyk, which Ukrainian officials described as the beginning of the National Pantheon project.
