Following World War II and the subsequent redrawing of borders in Europe, Polish authorities forced out roughly 700,000 Ukrainians from their homes in what became Poland’s new southeastern frontier. This mass displacement, known as Operation Vistula, has been a contentious issue in the region’s history, with recent developments seeing the Ukrainian parliament condemning this act as an unlawful deportation.
The expulsions, which were part of a broader effort to reshape the ethnic composition of post-war Poland, involved the systematic removal of Ukrainian populations from the territories that were annexed by the Soviet Union and later incorporated into Poland. These actions, carried out under the justification of ‘ethnic cleansing,’ led to the displacement of significant Ukrainian communities, many of whom were resettled in the Soviet Union or other regions.
The recent recognition by the Ukrainian parliament has reignited discussions about the historical justice and reparations for those affected by the post-war relocations. This acknowledgment underscores the complex relationship between Poland and Ukraine, particularly in the context of shared history and the ongoing quest for reconciliation.