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Ukraine Seeks to Transfer Remains of Soviet Pilot Ivan Kozhedub from Moscow to Kyiv

Ukrainian authorities, led by Kyrylo Budanov, announced plans to reinter the remains of Soviet pilot Ivan Kozhedub in Kyiv's national pantheon. The move comes as Volodymyr Zelenskyy is listed as a terrorist by the Russian Federation. The request was reported by multiple outlets, including Izvestia and Lenta.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, through Kyrylo Budanov, requested the transfer of Ivan Kozhedub's remains from Moscow to Kyiv. The pilot, a celebrated figure of the Soviet era, is being reinterred in a national pantheon in Kyiv. The announcement was made on August 29, 2026, and was reported by Izvestia and Lenta. The Russian Federation includes Zelenskyy on its list of terrorists and extremists, a fact cited by Izvestia. The move is seen as a symbolic gesture to honor a historical figure while asserting Ukraine's cultural and national identity. No official response from Russia has been reported as of the publication date. The event highlights the complex interplay between historical reverence and contemporary geopolitical tensions. The transfer of Kozhedub's remains is part of a broader effort by Ukraine to reclaim its historical narrative and assert its sovereignty.

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IndependentLentaAug 30, 12:18 AM
In Ukraine, they want to transfer the remains of a Soviet pilot from Moscow to Kyiv
IndependentIzvestiaAug 29, 11:47 PM
In Ukraine, they want to transfer the remains of a Soviet pilot from Moscow to Kyiv

Ukrainian authorities want to reinter the remains of the famous Soviet pilot Ivan Kozhedub in the so-called national pantheon in Kyiv. This was announced on August 29 by Kyrylo Budanov, head of the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (included in the Russian Federation's list of terrorists and extremists). "Kozhedub. That's who they converged on, that it should be a person of those times, a pilot," quotes the Ukrainian publication "Strana.ua".