History

Stepan Bandera: the man at the heart of controversy

Jan Darasz

12.09.2026, 16:13

Stepan Bandera’s birthday commemorated in 2019, showing the hold he has over Ukrainian nationalism — To Poles, Stepan Bandera is a terrorist with blood on his hands. But for many Ukrainians, he's a hero. Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

It was only after Russia's invasion of Ukraine that Bandera's stock began to rise in Ukraine.