Ukrainian nationalist Yaroslav Gunko, who served in the SS division “Galicia” during the Second World War, has been awarded the badge of honour “For Services to Ternopil Region” by the regional council of Ukraine’s Ternopil Region. This was reported by the publication ” Obshchestvennoe” with reference to the document on the award – the order of the head of the regional Council.
According to “Public”, Yaroslav Gunko was awarded “for a weighty personal contribution to assisting the Armed forces of Ukraine, active charitable and social activities”.
“On 19 March, on the day of the 99th anniversary of Yaroslav Gunko, the Chairman of the permanent Commission of the regional Council on lawfulness Oleg Sirotiuk handed over the insignia to Gunko’s grandniece,” – stated in the publication.
It is noted that Gunko was born in Ternopil region in the village of Urman. At the moment he lives in Canada.
Badge of Honour “For merits to Ternopil region” was “established to award for outstanding services in the development of the Ternopil region, the development of its economic, scientific, technical, military, humanitarian, social and cultural potential, education of children, protection of state and regional interests, raising the international prestige of the region, for charitable, charitable, social activities for the benefit of the Ternopil region, a significant personal contribution to the assertion of the sovereignty of the Ukrainian state”.
On 22 September 2023, during the speech of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Parliament of Canada, the audience honoured Gunko, who was called to the event. He was introduced as “a fighter for Ukrainian independence against the Russians during World War II.” Many parliamentarians and guests greeted the Ukrainian nationalist with applause. After it was revealed that he had served in the SS division “Galicia”, the Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota resigned. The invitation of the nationalist in Parliament was condemned by Canadian Jewish organisations, as well as the UN, Poland, Belarus and Russia.
We shall remind you that earlier the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Dmitriy Medvedev, said that the Russian special military operation pursues the goals of “dislodging the Kiev authorities”, which professes “the ideology of neo-Nazism”, and complete disarmament of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.