Western Operational Group (Ukrainian Insurgent Army)

UPA-West
УПА-Захід
ActiveDecember 1943 – 1949
AllegianceUkrainian Insurgent Army
Commanders
Notable
commanders

The Western Operational Group of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (Ukrainian: Оперативна група УПА-Захід, romanized: Operatyvna hrupa UPA-Zakhid), also known as UPA-West (Ukrainian: УПА-Захід, romanized: UPA-Zakhid), was one of the three operational groups of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.

History

UPA-West was established in December 1943 as one of the UPA's three operational groups, alongside UPA-South [uk] and UPA-North. A fourth operational group, UPA-East [uk], was planned but never realised.[1]

UPA-West was formed as a successor to the Ukrainian People's Self-Defence [uk] (UNS), a unit of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists. It retained the leadership of the UNS (including leader Oleksandr Lutskyi [uk]), as well as the right to use the name of the UNS. At lower levels, the transition from the UNS to UPA-West took until March 1944.[2]

UPA-West grew to become one of the largest and most effective groups of the UPA (in particular, the 4th Military District),[1][3] and the operational group was assisted logistically by the OUN, which provided food and weaponry and organised recruitment efforts.[4] However, with the gradual decline of the UPA insurgency, it would be eventually cease to function in 1949,[1] and Vasyl Sydor (UPA-West's commander since 1947) was killed in combat with the NKVD.[5]

Structure

At its founding, the Western Operational Group had six military districts:[2]

  1. 1st Military District [uk] (also known as Bashta), under the command of Viktor Kharkiv [uk], oversaw units in and around the city of Lviv.
  2. 2nd Military District [uk] (also known as Buh), under the command of Ostap Lynda [uk], oversaw units in Lviv Oblast.
  3. 3rd Military District [uk] (also known as Lysonia), under the command of Omelian Polovyi [uk], oversaw units in Ternopil Oblast.
  4. 4th Military District [uk] (also known as Hoverla), under the command of Ivan Butkovskyi [uk], oversaw units in Stanislaviv Oblast.
  5. 5th Military District [uk] (also known as Makivka), under the command of Bohdan Vilshynskyi [uk], oversaw units in Drohobych Oblast.
  6. 6th Military District [uk] (also known as Sian), under the command of Yakiv Chornii [uk], oversaw units in Zakerzonia.

An additional two military districts in Bukovina and Carpathian Ruthenia were planned, but never came to fruition.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Sakivskyi, Ihor (14 October 2016). "Українська Повстанська Армія в картинках. ІНФОГРАФІКА" [The Ukrainian Insurgent Army in images: INFOGRAPHICS]. Ukrainska Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b Senytskyi, Viktor. "Переформування Української народної самооборони в УПА-Захід (грудень 1943 – березень 1944 року)" [Reformation of the Ukrainian People's Self-Defence into UPA-West (December 1943 – February 1944)]. Prison on Łącki Street (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  3. ^ Sodol, Petro. "Hoverlia (4th) Group of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army". Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  4. ^ Myzak, Nestor (2012). УПА – "Захід" у фотографіях [UIA-«West» in Pictures: For You, Holy Ukraine] (PDF). За тебе, свята Україно (in Ukrainian). Vol. 8. Chernivtsi: Chernivtsi University. ISBN 978-966-423-243-9.
  5. ^ "Розсекречені документи командира УПА-Захід тепер доступні онлайн" [Declassified documents of UPA-West commander now available online]. Zbruč (in Ukrainian). 26 February 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2023.