She fought with three armies at the same time: why Ukraine celebrates the day of creation of the UPA

83 years ago, the Ukrainian General Liberation Council (UHWR) resolved that it was time to create combat groups that would resist Nazi Germany and Communist Russia-SSR. Focus decided to talk about the OUN-UPA, as the rebel activity is still accompanied by myths that have been discredited in the USSR. The information outlined in the article is based on research on the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (UIPP).

The OUN is an organization of Ukrainian nationalists, which was created in February 1929 and operating at the time when Ukraine was terminated between the two states. Poland controlled the western regions, pursuing pacification policy. The Soviet Union controlled the rest of the Ukrainian lands, arranging the Holodomor and shaking the Ukrainian intelligentsia. In such circumstances, the OUN appeared, which in 1940 was divided into two branches: the OUN (b) and the OUN (M).

On October 14, 1942, detachments of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army were created on the basis of the OUN (b). The UPA detachments Roman Shukhevych (pseudo "Taras Chuprynka"), which the USSR agent was killed in 1950. After that, Stepan Bandera became the commander. Thus, the OUN-UPA fighters fought with three opponents who did not recognize the right of Ukrainians to their own state on their land.

The first opponent is the Polish authorities, the second is the German Nazis, the third is the army and the NKVD (KGB) of the USSR. "The Ukrainian Insurgent Army is the largest underground army of Europe of the Second World War, which won the longest time for the country's independence," explained the author of the educational YouTube channel Darko Girna.

The first field of activity of the OUN fighters is the territory of Ukraine, which in 20-30 years passed to Poland under the Warsaw Treaty (April 1920). Ukrainians arranged certificates (force actions) against representatives of the Polish government.

The press was covered by three attendants: the robbery of the post office, the murder of the Secretary of the USSR Consulate in Lviv and the NKVD agent Alexei Maylov and the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland Bronislaw Pertsky (conducted pacification). Historian Yaroslav Gritsak estimated that from 1921 to 1939 63 people - external and internal enemies - were eliminated. The UPA's actions during World War II are detailed on the portal of the Institute of National Memory.

It is indicated that the purpose of the UPA fighters was the formation of an independent Ukrainian state. The first combat units appeared on the Nazi -occupied territory of Volyn, and later - in Galicia, Polissya, part of Podillya. The Volyn tragedy in 1943 in the territory of Volyn and neighboring regions intensified clashes between Ukrainians and Poles, who claimed the same lands. Mutual attacks and murders have begun, which led to civilian casualties on both sides.

In Volyn, Galicia, Kholmshchyna events, which Ukraine calls "Volyn tragedy" and Poland - "massacre". The exact number of dead on both sides is not known: Poland speaks of 50 thousand, Ukrainian historians are denied. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sibiga in the fall of 2025 reported that the exhumation of the victims began. The UPA and the USSR Army of the UPA units with the Soviet Army began in 1944, after the Nazis retreat from the territory of Ukraine.

The rebels attacked military columns, ambushed, attacked representatives of the authorities. Meanwhile, the UPA was operating by the NKVD agents who staged punitive operations and provocations. In 1944, the UPA commander reformed the army, which for 10 years in the underground fought with Russian invaders. Since 1942, the OUN-UPA has been fighting for two fronts-against the Nazis, and when they were driven, against the Communists.

The actions were directed to the fight against Soviet agents, carried out sabotage, sabotage, attempts. The last famous battle of the UPA detachment with the NKVD took place on April 12, 1960. According to the KGB papers, explored by UIPP historians, in Ukraine and the USSR conducted a series of provocations for compromising the UPA.

"They made everything they wanted, they could kill, shoot, and as if Bandera was doing it, but they were Russians, these were mercenaries of Russia, these were people from the MGB bodies [Ministry of State Security of the USSR - Ed. ]," In the KGB documents, you can also find out who could really be afraid of the UPA and complain about the actions of the underground. The insurgents were dangerous for Russian invaders - representatives of the authorities, special services, etc.

At the same time, fighters operated throughout Ukraine: even in Sumy and Kharkiv region. UPIN historians point out that in the 1960s, individual fighters were hiding and from time to time they came into clashes with the NKVD. In addition, some sat underground until 1991 and came out only with the restoration of Ukraine's independence.