Ministry of Veterans Affairs on the National Military Cemetery: discussion on the appearance of permanent monuments continues

One of the key features of the National Military Memorial Cemetery is the unification of burials. Initially, a temporary monument is installed, and a year later, a permanent one. The discussion regarding the appearance of permanent grave structures is ongoing. This was announced by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, Yulia Kalmykova, in an interview on the telethon, as reported by UNN.

The first National Military Memorial Cemetery has been opened. All combatants have the right to be buried there. Heroes of Ukraine have the right to reburial if their families wish so. Reburial is possible from territories that are occupied or de-occupied. To order a burial, you need to call the National Military Memorial Cemetery or come there and actually fill out the necessary documents, sign a burial agreement.

When will there be permanent monuments in the cemetery?

Kalmykova noted that the National Military Memorial Cemetery has unified grave structures.

Currently, we are installing temporary grave structures, they are wooden. In a year, we will install permanent ones. The discussion regarding the appearance of permanent ones is still ongoing. The temporary ones are made of wood and in the shape of a Cossack cross. They look very beautiful, actually, with white glossy lacquer paint and plaques with the specified data of the person buried. In case the buried person is unknown, it is written: Unknown defender buried. Then it says that identification is ongoing and each body is assigned a number.

The Minister noted that the part where burials began includes sectors for the burial of unknown defenders.

In the part we opened – this is half of the first stage, and there are sectors for the burial of unknown persons. There is also a place where there will be a memorial to unknown defenders. We plan to announce an architectural competition in the coming weeks so that our artists can offer options on how to perpetuate the memory of those who died and whose names we have not yet identified.

How many burial requests are received?

We are just starting. There are many requests. We are already starting to bury known defenders, including in the columbarium wall (a place for burying urns with ashes after cremation – ed.).

Addition

On August 29, the first honorary military burials began on the territory of the National Military Memorial Complex. The cemetery provides up to 6,000 places for the burial of Ukrainian defenders.

The construction of the first launch complex of the 1st stage of the National Military Memorial Cemetery has been completed, and 6,000 burial places have been prepared. The construction of the second launch complex is ongoing.

On September 10, the first burial of a known Defender of Ukraine took place on the territory of the National Military Memorial Cemetery.

Chief Sergeant Viktor Klymchuk, with the call sign "Horets," became the first warrior whose name is carved on a temporary grave structure. In the future, it will be on the memorial wall of memory and immortalized among the names of those who gave their lives for Ukraine.