National liberation forces in Podillia during the Nazi occupation of the region

Abstract

The article examines the political activities of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) in Podillia during the Nazi occupation (1941-1944). Particular attention is paid to analyzing the reasons for the low support of the OUN among the local population, which was due to deep ideological differences formed in the context of prolonged Soviet influence and support for the Soviet government by the Podillia residents. The study traces the participation of both wings of the OUN - Bandera's and Melnyk's - in cooperation with Nazi Germany, the creation and combat use of the Roland and Nachtigall battalions, and their transformation into punitive formations. The attempt to proclaim Ukrainian statehood on June 30, 1941, in Lviv as a political act of the OUN-B, as well as the German reaction to this initiative are considered. Particular attention is paid to the activities of nationalist marching groups, their composition, tasks and routes deep into Soviet territory. Based on the source material, it is concluded that the nationalist movement in Podillia had a limited influence, which was due not only to the lack of social support but also to the strategic short-sightedness of the OUN leadership in matters of interaction with the German administration.