Parts of Special Purpose in the Fight Against the Rebellion Movement in Volyn

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to highlight the creation by the Soviet authorities of Special Purpose Units in Volyn. Determination of their role in the fight against the local insurgent movement and cells of underground anti-Bolshevik organizations in the region. Methodology. When writing the article, the basic principles of historical knowledge were used: historicism, scientificity, objectivity. Specific search tasks of the research were solved by problem-chronological means (optimal involvement of the thematic literature and source base); historical-comparative (analysis of various sources and formation of relevant research provisions and conclusions); critical analysis (critical attitude to various sources) methods. The scientific novelty consists in a comprehensive study of the genesis of the creation and activity of the Special Purpose Units in Volyn, their participation in the fight against the insurgent movement in the region based on unpublished sources. New source material, including archival documents important for solving the problem, was introduced into scientific circulation and analyzed. Conclusions. The newly created units of the Volyn Military Police were actively involved in the fight against the insurgent movement even at the stage of their formation. In the autumn of 1921, in preparation for the Second Winter Campaign, the authorities used them to defend the main cities on the routes of movement of Yuri Tyutyunnik's rebel groups. After the defeat of this campaign, the insurgent movement of the region declined somewhat. The underground anti-Bolshevik organization, the Volyn Insurgent Army, became a new threat to the Soviet government. Subdivisions of the National Security Service also took part in its liquidation. After that, insurgent activities were continued only by individual leaders and departments. Criminal elements became more active. In such conditions, the need for the existence of large units of the National Police disappeared, their functions were successfully performed by law enforcement agencies. Therefore, in the summer of 1924, their disbandment began.