Frustration Mounts as Ukrainian Families Wait for National Military Memorial Cemetery
For 10 months, the remains of Dmytro Gubariev have sat untouched in his bedroom, waiting to be buried. His mother, Iryna Gubarieva, has been determined to lay her son to rest in a National Military Memorial Cemetery as a hero, alongside his comrades-in-arms who have also remained unburied. Thousands of families in Ukraine are facing a similar situation, as ordinary cemeteries fill up after 17 months of war.
The concept of a Ukrainian version of Arlington National Cemetery has been in the works for over a decade. In May 2022, Ukraine’s Parliament passed a law for the establishment of a National Military Memorial Cemetery. However, construction has yet to begin, leaving families like the Gubarievas and Viktoria Krasovska, who lost her husband in the war, frustrated and grieving without closure.
Ukraine’s Minister of Veterans Affairs, Yulia Laputina, has cited land allocation as a key issue delaying construction. While the ministry claims to be in regular communication with the families, the lack of progress has only exacerbated their pain. The grieving families argue that their loved ones deserve a proper commemoration for their sacrifices in defending Ukraine.
It is challenging to determine exactly how many families are waiting for a national cemetery, but the recent protest in Kyiv drew about two dozen people. The delay in establishing the cemetery reflects the difficulties of memorializing soldiers in an ongoing war with an uncertain outcome.
Dmytro Gubariev was killed on April 15, 2022, in Mariupol while fighting with Ukraine’s Azov Regiment. It took months to identify and retrieve his remains, leading the family to cremate him with the intention of burying him in the designated national military cemetery. His ashes now sit in a black urn on a shelf in his bedroom, while his mother mourns the lack of a proper burial site.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Veterans Affairs, already overwhelmed with the rehabilitation of veterans, has yet to address the issue seriously. While the establishment of a National Military Memorial Cemetery could send a chilling message about the ongoing losses in the war, the families argue that it is crucial to properly honor and bury the fallen soldiers.
Viktoria Krasovska, who carries her husband’s remains in a backpack to his mother’s house, emphasized the urgency of the situation. She believes the cemetery construction could be carried out in parallel with other priorities, given that the war shows no signs of ending.
For both Ms. Gubarieva and Ms. Krasovska, the delays around the cemetery are not only frustrating but also disrespectful to the sacrifices made by their loved ones. They passionately believe that the fallen soldiers should be buried together and that their legacy should be safeguarded for future generations.
The wait continues for these families, as they hope their loved ones will receive the recognition and respect they deserve through a National Military Memorial Cemetery.