Canadian ambassador honours Nazi collaborators in Ukraine

Canada’s ambassador to Ukraine, along with members of the Canadian Armed Forces were at an event in the country honouring former Nazi collaborators.

Ambassador Roman Waschuk spoke at an August 21st ceremony alongside several members of the Canadian army.

At the event, Waschuk commemorated members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The two groups are historically believed to have collaborated with the Nazis in the Second World War.

Both the Simon Wiesenthal Centre and the Ukrainian Jewish Committee slammed Waschuk’s participation in the event.

“All Jews of Sambir were murdered by Nazis and their collaborators from  OUN and UPA,” said director-general of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee, Eduard Dolinsky.

The monument which was called a “desecration” by Dolinsky was erected outside of a cemetery where 1,200 Jews were laid to rest after being murdered by the Nazis.

According to Global Affairs Canada, the event was meant to build support for an eventual Jewish memorial at the site.

During his speech, Waschuk gave tribute to the Jews murdered during the holocaust and claimed that memorial was for “those Ukrainians who fought against the Nazi regime as members of OUN-UPA”

Jewish communities in the area have been trying to erect a monument for the site for some time now and have faced opposition from locals.

Canada’s activity in the Ukraine has faced scrutiny in the past. In one instance Canadian government and military officials met with the neo-Nazi Azov battalion, who have been accused by the UN of committing war crimes.

The Post Millennial also covered an exclusive report of how the Liberal government–funded Ukraine’s national police force which has exhibited far-right tendencies among its top brass and ranks.