Ukrainian National Army
Encyclopedia
Ukrainian National Army (UNA) was a World War II
Ukrainian military group, created on March 17, 1945 in Weimar
, Germany
, and subordinate to Ukrainian National Committee
.
The army, formed on April 15, 1945, and commanded by General Pavlo Shandruk
, consisted of the following units:
Plans were made regarding the inclusion of the Ukrainian Freedom Army (120 thousand soldiers), Kuban Cossacks
and Georgian military divisions.
The primary purpose of creation of the Ukrainian National Army was to integrate all the Ukrainian units fighting the Soviets under a single command. The intended size of the army, encompassing all the Ukrainian units subordinate to Oberkommando des Heeres
was 220 thousand. However within the two months left till the end of the war, Shandruk was able to gather about 50 thousand soldiers.
In reality, Shandruk was able to command only the 1. UNA Division and elements of the 2. UNA Division. On May 7, under his influence, the division located in western Austria by this time after slowly moving from Slovenia
(February 1945), withdrew further from Red Army
forces. The "Army" now split into several groups, with one heading towards Italian border and surrendering to the British Army
's 15th Army Group and others moved toward the German and Swiss borders and surrendered to the US Army's 6th Army Group. The UNA soldiers were interned in northern Italy, in the area controlled by Polish II Corps
forces. After the capitulation, Shandruk asked for a meeting with Polish general Władysław Anders in London, and asked him to protect the army against the deportation to Soviet Union
. Despite the Soviet pressure, Anders managed to protect Ukrainian soldiers as the former citizens of the Second Republic of Poland. Shandruk and the bulk of his forces managed to remain in the west, with many of the former UNA soldiers joining the French Foreign Legion
.
Other groups, splintered, either surrendered to the Soviet or the Western Allies, facing repatriation, with several hundred interned in Switzerland.
The UNA had a bad relationship with general Andrei Vlasov's Russian Liberation Army
(KONR) and was never subordinated to it.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Ukrainian military group, created on March 17, 1945 in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, and subordinate to Ukrainian National Committee
Ukrainian National Committee
Ukrainian National Committee was a Ukrainian political structure, created on March 17, 1945 in Weimar with the intention to release Ukrainian Nazi-sponsored military units from German command...
.
The army, formed on April 15, 1945, and commanded by General Pavlo Shandruk
Pavlo Shandruk
Pavlo Shandruk was a general in the army of the Ukrainian National Republic, a colonel of the Polish Army, and a prominent general of the Ukrainian National Army, a military force that fought against the Soviets under German command at the close of World War II.-Biography:Shandruk was born on...
, consisted of the following units:
- 1. UNA Division formed from the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Galizien (1st Ukrainian);
- 2. UNA Division being organized into two brigades – the Anti-Tank Brigade Вільна Україна ("Free Ukraine") and a second brigade – from remnants of the Ukrainian Liberation ArmyUkrainian Liberation ArmyThe Ukrainian Liberation Army was formed by the German Army in 1943 to collect the Ukrainian volunteer units that came into being during World War II...
and other Ukrainian units, led by General Petro DyachenkoPetro DyachenkoPetro Dyachenko – April 23, 1965 in Philadelphia, USA) was a Ukrainian military commander who served as a staff captain in the Russian Army , colonel in the Ukrainian People's Army , major in the Polish Army , colonel in the Ukrainian Liberation Army , the 104th Panzergrenadier brigade Vilna...
; - special Gruppe B led by General Taras Bulba-BorovetsTaras Bulba-BorovetsTaras Dmytrovych Borovets’ , pseudonym Taras Bulba was a Ukrainian nationalist political activist.-Biography:...
; - Ukrainian Free Cossacks led by Colonel Tereshchenko;
- 1. Reserve Brigade led by Colonel Hudyma;
- 2. Reserve Brigade led by Colonel Malets.
Plans were made regarding the inclusion of the Ukrainian Freedom Army (120 thousand soldiers), Kuban Cossacks
Kuban Cossacks
Kuban Cossacks or Kubanians are Cossacks who live in the Kuban region of Russia. Most of the Kuban Cossacks are of descendants of two major groups who were re-settled in the Western Northern Caucasus during the Caucasus War in the late 18th century...
and Georgian military divisions.
The primary purpose of creation of the Ukrainian National Army was to integrate all the Ukrainian units fighting the Soviets under a single command. The intended size of the army, encompassing all the Ukrainian units subordinate to Oberkommando des Heeres
Oberkommando des Heeres
The Oberkommando des Heeres was Nazi Germany's High Command of the Army from 1936 to 1945. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht commanded OKH only in theory...
was 220 thousand. However within the two months left till the end of the war, Shandruk was able to gather about 50 thousand soldiers.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
(February 1945), withdrew further from Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
forces. The "Army" now split into several groups, with one heading towards Italian border and surrendering to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
's 15th Army Group and others moved toward the German and Swiss borders and surrendered to the US Army's 6th Army Group. The UNA soldiers were interned in northern Italy, in the area controlled by Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps , 1943–1947, was a major tactical and operational unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Władysław Anders and by the end of 1945 it had grown to well over 100,000 soldiers....
forces. After the capitulation, Shandruk asked for a meeting with Polish general Władysław Anders in London, and asked him to protect the army against the deportation to Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Despite the Soviet pressure, Anders managed to protect Ukrainian soldiers as the former citizens of the Second Republic of Poland. Shandruk and the bulk of his forces managed to remain in the west, with many of the former UNA soldiers joining the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
.
Other groups, splintered, either surrendered to the Soviet or the Western Allies, facing repatriation, with several hundred interned in Switzerland.
The UNA had a bad relationship with general Andrei Vlasov's Russian Liberation Army
Russian Liberation Army
Russian Liberation Army was a group of predominantly Russian forces subordinated to the Nazi German high command during World War II....
(KONR) and was never subordinated to it.