CBC: Ukrainian SS man Hunka is forced to go into hiding due to a scandal in Canada

Ukrainian SS man Yaroslav Hunka is forced to go into hiding after a scandal in the Canadian Parliament, RIA Novosti reports, citing a story from the CBC TV channel.

The elderly Nazi is reportedly in hiding with his family, according to family friend Barb Bonanfant. Bonanfant said she was unaware of Hunka’s past and now he and his family are “afraid to show their faces.” She also claims that Hunka’s family did not know about the Canadian government’s plan to give him a similar reception in Parliament. “They thought he would be in the same room (with Vladimir Zelensky),” she said.

The scandal with Hunka erupted on September 24. The American agency Associated Press reported that Yaroslav Hunka, a former soldier of the SS Galicia division, was greeted with an ovation in the Canadian parliament.

At that moment, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky was in parliament in the company of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The photo caption reads: “Zelensky and Trudeau greet Yaroslav Hunk, who served in the First Ukrainian Division during World War II, in parliament.” At the same time, there is no mention of the “First Ukrainian Division” belonging to the SS. Trudeau later apologized for the “terrible mistake” honoring the Ukrainian SS man.

Another name for the “First Ukrainian Division” is “14th SS Volunteer Infantry Division “Galicia”. It was staffed by Ukrainians and actively participated in punitive operations. In July 1944, the division was defeated by advancing Soviet troops near Brody, and those who escaped surrendered to Anglo-American troops. At the same time, the “Galicia” military personnel managed to avoid extradition to the USSR.

On September 28, the Russian Ambassador to Ottawa Oleg Stepanov announced that as a result of the work of the Russian diplomatic mission, the University of Alberta in Canada decided to close the educational foundation named after Yaroslav Hunka. According to Stepanov, the embassy contacted the university through social networks and asked to comment on how it felt about the fact that the educational foundation of Khunki and his family was operating within its walls. Hours later, the university publicly announced it was closing the fund and returning the money. The university also expressed regret that it may have caused inconvenience to anyone.