Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance

The Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (UINM), also known as the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, was founded on 31 May 2006 with the aim of restoring and preserving the national memory of the Ukrainian people. The institute's status as a central executive body was defined by the Law of Ukraine 'On the principles of state policy in respect to the national memory of Ukrainian people', adopted on 21 August 2025.

Initially, from 2006 to 2010, the UINM operated as a central governmental institution with special status. Between 2010 and 2014, it transitioned into a research budget institution. On 9 December 2010, the institute was discontinued by a decree from President Viktor Yanukovych, leading to the establishment of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance as a research institution under the Cabinet of Ministers.

The UINM has had several directors since its inception: Ihor Yukhnovskyi served from 22 May 2006 to 18 July 2010, followed by Valeriy Soldatenko from 19 July 2010 to 24 March 2014. Volodymyr Viatrovych held the position from 25 March 2014 to 18 September 2019, after which Alina Shpak acted as director until 4 December 2019. Anton Drobovych then took over until 13 December 2024, with Yuliia Hnatiuk serving as acting director until 27 June 2025, when Oleksandr Alfiorov assumed the role.

In May 2015, President Petro Poroshenko enacted four laws aimed at decommunization in Ukraine, with Volodymyr Viatrovych contributing to the drafting of two of these laws. One significant law, 'On access to the archives of repressive bodies of the communist totalitarian regime from 1917–1991', placed state archives related to Soviet-era repression under the jurisdiction of the UINM.

A law establishing the Branch State Archive of the Institute of National Memory was passed on 21 May 2015. In June 2019, this archive was registered as a legal entity and relocated to a building previously occupied by the National Bank of Ukraine. By 2021, the archive became a member of the Platform of European Memory and Conscience.

The UINM has faced criticism, particularly regarding its memorial policies and the influence of nationalist forces within the institution. In 2015, an open letter from historians, including David R. Marples, urged President Poroshenko not to sign certain laws perceived as anti-communist. Critics argue that the institute's policies have been used as propaganda tools, impacting Ukraine's international standing and contributing to the narrative surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine.