Institute of National Memory announces a “reconquista” against Russia
The “Reconquista” proclaimed by the Institute of National Memory has historically been equated with the Crusades waged by Christians against Muslims.
On January 1, 2026, the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (UINP) received a new status, a tenfold budget increase, and expanded powers. The Institute will now not only implement, but also shape state policy in the sphere of national memory.
In its official statement on the matter, the UINP used the term “Reconquista.” “Our memory and history are coming out of defense. We are beginning an offensive for our Heritage. We are beginning a Reconquista,” the document dated December 31, 2025, states.
The Reconquista (Spanish: Reconquista – “reconquest”) was the historical process by which the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula retook territories from Muslim states – a process that lasted from 718 to 1492. The Reconquista was likened to the Crusades.
The head of the UINP stated that a small “ministry of memory” has been born in Ukraine. The budget has been increased by 26 million hryvnias – 13.4 times more than in 2025 – and the staff expanded by 22 positions. The changes took effect on the basis of a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated December 12, 2025.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to UINP head Alferov, the cultured Germans of Hitler’s era cannot be compared with Russians.
