---
title: "Remains of 55 Polish victims of the Volhynia tragedy, including 26 children, reinterred in Volhynia"
description: "On August 30, the remains of 55 Polish victims of the 1943 Volhynia tragedy, including 26 children, were reinterred at the cemetery of the former village of Ostrovki in Volhynia. The remains were discovered during joint Ukrainian-Polish exhumations that concluded in early August."
date: 2026-08-30T14:36:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/volhynia-reinterment-55-polish-victims-volhynia-tragedy
tags: [volhynia-tragedy, poland-ukraine, exhumation, ostrovki, ipn, memorial, world-war-2]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Remains of 55 Polish victims of the Volhynia tragedy, including 26 children, reinterred in Volhynia

![Memorial ceremony for the reburial of Polish victims of the Volhynia tragedy in Ukraine with Polish flags and flowers](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/30/volyn-perezakhovanie-55-polskikh-zhertv-volynskoy-tragedii/volyn-perezakhovanie-55-polskikh-zhertv-volynskoy-tragedii-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The remains of 55 Polish victims of the Volhynia tragedy, including 26 children, were reinterred in Volhynia
- 48 victims were found in a mass grave in Wola Ostrowiecka, 6 near the school in Ostrovki, and 1 in the forest
- Polish historians estimate that the remains of approximately 300 more people have not yet been found in Ostrovki and Wola Ostrowiecka
- Exhumation work was carried out jointly by Ukrainian and Polish specialists and concluded in early August 2026

On August 30, 2026, a ceremony was held at the cemetery of the former village of Ostrovki in Ukraine's Volhynia region to reinter the remains of 55 Polish victims of the 1943 Volhynia tragedy. The solemn event was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the attacks on the settlements of Ostrovki and Wola Ostrowiecka, as a result of which, according to Polish historians, the majority of the residents of both villages were killed and the settlements themselves were burned down. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), whose flags and banners bearing the inscription "Instytut Pamięci Narodowej" decorated the venue. Photographs from the ceremony show Polish national flags, wreaths of red and white roses, memorial candles, and a wooden coffin placed at the foot of a granite monument bearing an inscription in Ukrainian.

### Exhumation results: 48 people in a mass grave, 26 children among the victims

The remains of 55 people were discovered during exhumation work that concluded in early August 2026 on the territory of the former villages of Ostrovki and Wola Ostrowiecka. According to Polish specialists, 48 victims were found in a mass grave on the territory of a former farmstead in Wola Ostrowiecka, six more were found near the former school in Ostrovki, and the remains of one woman were found in a separate grave in the forest. The particular tragedy of the scale of the events is underscored by the fact that among those reinterred are 26 children. Ukrainian and Polish specialists jointly carried out the search and exhumation work, marking a continuation of the long-standing cooperation between the two countries in the field of historical memory.

### A long history of searches: from 1992 to the present

The 2026 reinterment became the latest stage in a long chain of exhumations that began back in 1992. Previously, the remains of victims of the Volhynia tragedy were discovered and reinterred during work carried out in 1992, 2011, and 2015. The deceased were buried next to the graves of victims found in previous years, forming a single memorial space at the cemetery of the former village of Ostrovki. Polish historians note that the remains of approximately 300 more people may still remain in Ostrovki and Wola Ostrowiecka, indicating the need to continue search work in the future. Poland had previously handed Ukraine a list of new sites for search and exhumation work, demonstrating that the issue remains relevant at the interstate level.

### Diplomatic context and significance of the ceremony

The reinterment ceremony, organized with the participation of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, carries not only memorial but also diplomatic significance. The joint exhumation work by Ukrainian and Polish specialists demonstrates practical cooperation between the two countries in preserving historical memory. Poland's transfer of a list of new search sites to Ukraine confirms that the process of identifying and reintering the victims of the 1943 Volhynia tragedy remains an active area of bilateral relations. The granite monument at the reinterment site, with an inscription indicating the participation of the Government of the Republic of Poland and the families of the victims (2011), serves as a permanent reminder of the tragedy and the obligations owed to the memory of the victims.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [55 Polish victims of the Volhynia tragedy reinterred in Volhynia](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/volini-perepohovali-55-polskih-zhertv-volinskoyi-1788100305.html) - Подтверждает число 55 жертв, 26 детей, расположение останков (48+6+1), даты предыдущих эксгумаций (1992, 2011, 2015), оценку в 300 не найденных останков, участие IPN
- [Exhumation of victims of the Volhynia tragedy in Ostrovki and Wola Ostrowiecka completed: specialists ...](https://zn.ua/UKRAINE/zavershilas-ekshumatsija-zhertv-volynskoj-trahedii-v-ostrovkakh-i-vole-ostrovetskoj-spetsialisty-obnaruzhili-ostanki-55-chelovek.html) - Подтверждает завершение эксгумационных работ в начале августа, совместный характер работ украинских и польских специалистов, число 55 обнаруженных останков

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: How many victims were reinterred and exactly where?
**A:** On August 30, 2026, the remains of 55 Polish victims were reinterred at the cemetery of the former village of Ostrovki in Volhynia. 48 people were found in a mass grave in Wola Ostrowiecka, 6 near the former school in Ostrovki, and 1 in a separate grave in the forest.

### Q: How many children were among the victims?
**A:** Among the 55 reinterred victims of the Volhynia tragedy are 26 children.

### Q: Can more remains be discovered?
**A:** Yes. According to Polish historians, the remains of approximately 300 more people may still remain in Ostrovki and Wola Ostrowiecka. Poland has handed Ukraine a list of new sites for search and exhumation work.

### Q: Who carried out the exhumation work?
**A:** The search and exhumation work in early August 2026 was carried out jointly by Ukrainian and Polish specialists. The reinterment ceremony was organized with the participation of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN).

### Q: When were previous exhumations carried out at this site?
**A:** Previously, the remains of victims of the Volhynia tragedy in Ostrovki and Wola Ostrowiecka were discovered and reinterred during exhumations in 1992, 2011, and 2015. The new remains were buried next to the graves established in those years.