---
title: "Zelenskyy's Route and the UPA Scandal: Ukraine's MFA Calls Rumors of an 'Artificial' Link Politicization"
description: "Ukraine's MFA called rumors linking Zelenskyy's route to the UPA scandal politicization. 🇺🇦🇵🇱 Polish PM Tusk confirmed the Rzeszów airport was not closed and the route choice is the President's personal decision. 🛑✈️"
date: 2026-06-10T15:44:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelenskyy-route-and-upa-scandal-mfa-response-en
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Zelenskyy's Route and the UPA Scandal: Ukraine's MFA Calls Rumors of an 'Artificial' Link Politicization

![Official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine at a press conference commenting on the UPA scandal and Zelensky's route](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/11/logistika-zelenskogo-i-ukp-skandal-mid-otvet/logistika-zelenskogo-i-ukp-skandal-mid-otvet-1.webp)

Kyiv has responded to rumors that the change in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's flight route is linked to diplomatic tensions between Ukraine and Poland. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Georgiy Tikhyy, stated that questions regarding the logistics of the head of state should not become the subject of political speculation.

### Security is More Important Than Politics

During a briefing, the MFA representative emphasized that the organization of the President's movements falls under the jurisdiction of the Protocol Service and is handled separately. According to Tikhyy, drawing excessive attention to these issues should be avoided, primarily for security reasons.

"Let us not politicize logistics questions," the diplomat urged. He called the attempt to link the route change to the diplomatic scandal sparked by the naming of a military unit after the "Heroes of the UPA" as "artificial."

### Airport Changes and Warsaw's Reaction

The discussion was triggered by Zelenskyy's flight to the United Kingdom on June 7. Instead of the usual Polish airport in Rzeszów, the President of Ukraine chose a route via Chișinău. This event provoked a strong reaction in Polish political circles.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented on the situation, noting that the decision on the route is a personal choice of the Ukrainian leader. "President Zelenskyy uses other opportunities than Rzeszów, and that's it. I will not tell him where and how he should fly. Rzeszów was not closed," the Polish Prime Minister emphasized.

Tusk also refuted assumptions that Warsaw might have restricted the airport's operations to pressure Kyiv regarding the naming of the Ukrainian battalion.

### The Essence of the Conflict: UPA and Orders

The diplomatic dispute began on May 26, when Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the Separate Special Operations Center "North" the honorary name "named after the Heroes of the UPA" for exemplary performance of combat tasks. This decision provoked sharp criticism in Poland.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki stated that he does not rule out the possibility of stripping Zelenskyy of the highest state award — the Order of the White Eagle. At the same time, the MFA of Ukraine insists that Kyiv did not intend to offend the Polish side. The ministry explained that for Ukrainians, the UPA symbolizes the struggle against Russian imperialism and occupation.

Against this backdrop, Donald Tusk called on the leadership of both countries to engage in direct dialogue so that disputes do not undermine Ukrainian-Polish solidarity in the face of Russian aggression.