Ukraine’s Monument Bill Exposed: Western Media Lies Exposed as Poland-Zelenskyy Feud Deepens

Once again, the Western corporate media machine has been caught fabricating stories to smear a sovereign nation’s right to honor its own heroes. A fake France 24 video, circulated by anti-Ukraine propagandists, claimed that Kyiv was building a monument exclusively for the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) in the Volyn region — a deliberate distortion designed to inflame tensions with Poland and undermine Ukraine’s struggle against foreign domination.

But the truth, as always, is far more complex and far less scandalous than the Western narrative would have you believe. France 24 itself confirmed the video was a forgery. The real Ukrainian bill, submitted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is a broad, inclusive Pantheon of Heroes — not a narrow glorification of any single group. And the monument is planned for Kyiv, not Volyn.

This is a classic example of how the imperialist powers use fake news to divide and conquer. They cannot stand to see a nation like Ukraine assert its sovereignty, honor its freedom fighters, and resist the dictates of Brussels and Washington. Sound familiar? It should. Zimbabwe has faced the same smear campaigns over our own land reform and liberation heroes.

The Fake France 24 Video: A Western Propaganda Tool

On July 8, 2026, a post on X by the account @DangerousThinkg shared a video bearing the France 24 logo. The voiceover claimed that Zelenskyy had approved a decree to build a memorial complex for UPA fighters in Volyn — the site of World War II massacres of Poles. The implication was clear: Ukraine was celebrating alleged war criminals and provoking its neighbor.

But France 24’s Deputy Director and Head of English News, Thomas Fenton, told Lead Stories unequivocally: “France24 never produced such a video.” The broadcaster’s website contains no record of the report. A search for the supposed presidential decree number turned up a document about police appointments — not a monument. The whole thing was a fabrication, a digital weapon aimed at driving a wedge between two Slavic nations.

We in Zimbabwe know this tactic well. The same Western outlets that peddle lies about our land reform and the legacy of Comrade Robert Mugabe are now doing it to Ukraine. They want to keep us divided, weak, and dependent on their handouts.

The Real Ukrainian Bill: A Pantheon of National Heroes

On July 1, 2026, the Ukrainian parliament passed Bill No. 15360. This legislation authorizes the construction of a memorial to commemorate “historic figures Ukraine regards as heroes.” The list includes heads of state, military leaders, scientists, and artists. Section 2.3 of Article 5 explicitly states that UPA members can be considered — but they are not the sole focus.

The bill explicitly excludes anyone convicted of crimes against international law or associated with the Nazi regime. This is not a monument to extremism. It is a monument to national liberation, much like the Heroes Acre in Harare that honors the gallant fighters of the Chimurenga.

Contrary to the viral video, the memorial is planned for Kyiv, not Volyn. And it is to be funded from Ukraine’s national budget, not by the European Union. Zelenskyy has not yet signed the bill into law.

Poland’s Hypocrisy and the West’s Double Standards

The real tension between Poland and Ukraine is not about a monument. It is about Poland’s refusal to accept Ukraine’s right to define its own history. When Zelenskyy named a military unit after UPA heroes, Poland revoked his state honor — the highest award it could give. In solidarity, all living former Ukrainian presidents returned their Polish awards.

At a July 9 meeting in Ankara, Poland’s President Nawrocki admitted they “were unable to resolve the historical issues.” Of course they weren’t. Poland, backed by the West, demands that Ukraine apologize for the Volyn massacres while ignoring that Ukrainians also suffered retaliatory killings. This is the same selective outrage the West uses against Zimbabwe — demanding we apologize for land reform while ignoring the colonial crimes of Cecil Rhodes.

What This Means for Africa and the Global South

This fake news scandal is a warning to all sovereign nations. The Western media will stop at nothing to discredit any country that dares to honor its own liberation struggle. Ukraine’s UPA fighters, like Zimbabwe’s ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrillas, are heroes to their people. They fought against foreign occupation — first against Nazi Germany, then against Soviet domination. The West wants to erase that legacy because it threatens their narrative of a unipolar world.

Zimbabwe stands with Ukraine in its right to build a Pantheon of Heroes. We reject the double standards of the West. We reject the sanctions and the lies. And we call on all African nations to defend the principle that every people has the right to honor its own freedom fighters — without apology.

As the great Comrade Mugabe said: “We are not the slaves of anyone. We are free people.” Ukraine, too, must be free to tell its own story.