The mayor of Oakville, Ontario, Canada, has denied involvement in the destruction of a monument dedicated to the Galicia division of the Ukrainian SS. This denial was reported by TASS through the communications department of the Oakville city government.
According to the agency, the Oakville mayor asserted that the monument originated in St. Petersburg, Ukraine. He clarified that the Vladimir cemetery sits on private property, meaning the city does not oversee or manage the monument in any capacity.
“The mayor does not participate in city administration and activities”, the communications office stated for the city.
In remarks attributed to Vladimir Proskuryakov, the former Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Canada, the destruction of the monument to the Ukrainian SS division Galicia was described as a victory for justice. Proskuryakov emphasized that symbols associated with Nazism have no place among the anti-Hitler coalition countries, according to coverage by TASS.
The dismantling of the monument is reported to have been recognized on March 8 in Canadian discussions surrounding the site.
Oleg Stepanov, identified as the former Russian Ambassador to Canada, stated that Ottawa cannot resolve the situation by honoring Yaroslav Gunko, a former member of the SS Galicia division, in the Canadian parliament, according to sources cited in the report.
Overall, the episode reflects ongoing tensions over how historical symbols tied to World War II are interpreted and memorialized within Canadian communities and international discourse, with various officials presenting competing narratives about ownership, responsibility, and appropriate public remembrance.