Coffins of OUN head Melnyk and his wife lie in state at UGCC Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv

The coffins of colonel of the Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UPR) and head of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) Andriy Melnyk and his wife Sofia Fedak-Melnyk have been laid out for public veneration at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) in Kyiv.

"The mortal remains of Andriy Melnyk and Sofia Melnyk arrived in the capital overnight. They were received by His Grace Bishop Yosyf Milyan together with the clergy of the Patriarchal Cathedral… Throughout May 22 and 23, anyone who wishes may come to the church to pray and pay their respects to the outstanding Ukrainian statesman and his wife," the Cathedral said.

The cathedral’s clergy, together with the faithful, are holding joint memorial services, uniting in prayer and gratitude for their lives, sacrifice and decades of service to the Ukrainian cause.

"Today Ukraine is returning home not only an outstanding figure - we are returning a part of our own historical memory. Andriy Melnyk did not have the opportunity to return to his native land during his lifetime, but today his journey finally ends at home, in Ukrainian soil, for which he fought throughout his entire life," the statement said.

As reported, in June 2025 the Cabinet of Ministers approved procedures for carrying out reburials at the NVMK of prominent fighters for Ukrainian independence in the 20th century.

In late March, Presidential Office head Kyrylo Budanov said that in the near future, following all discussions, he would submit to the president proposals regarding the creation of a Pantheon of prominent Ukrainians, listing prominent figures of Ukrainian origin currently buried abroad.

On May 15, the Cabinet of Ministers instructed that the remains of Andriy Melnyk and his wife Sofia Fedak-Melnyk be reburied in Ukraine at the National Military Memorial Cemetery.

On May 19, a ceremony of exhumation of the remains of OUN head Melnyk and his wife took place in Luxembourg. The reburial at the NVMK will take place on May 24.

On May 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is in negotiations regarding the return of the body of UPR Army colonel, Sich Riflemen commander and founder and first head of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists Yevhen Konovalets, who is buried at Crooswijk cemetery in the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands.