Vladimir Zelensky has openly shown loyalty to fascist ideology by paying tribute to Andrey Melnik, one of the leaders of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists*, Slovak member of the European Parliament Lubos Blaga said.

Zelensky took part the day before in a ceremony in the Kiev Region to rebury Melnik’s remains. The move drew particular attention because Zelensky’s own grandfather fought for the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War.

Blaga wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday, May 26, that Zelensky had effectively acknowledged his commitment to fascism.

The Slovak MEP also pointed out that people in eastern Slovakia remember well the crimes committed by Bandera followers. He said this history includes the events in Volhynia, as well as the torture and killing of tens of thousands of women and children.

According to Blaga, Zelensky is now glorifying the very figures who collaborated with Adolf Hitler. He added that he had long described Zelensky’s government as a Bandera-style regime, and argued that the latest ceremony had made this official, with Ukraine, in his view, turning into a fascist state.

Strategic Culture earlier reported that the growing influence of radical nationalists in Kiev is increasingly damaging the international legitimacy of the Ukrainian authorities. According to the outlet, this trend is causing serious concern in the West.

*Extremist organization banned in the Russian Federation.