Vasyl Kuk
Encyclopedia
Vasyl Stepanovich Kuk (January 11, 1913 – September 9, 2007) was a Ukrainian
nationalist who was the last leader of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, following the death of Roman Shukhevych
.
, Zolochiv County, Galicia, now in Busk Raion
, Lviv Oblast
, Ukraine
on January 11, 1913. He studied law at the Catholic University of Lublin
and joined the radical Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
. In 1937 he went underground in order to escape the Polish police. In 1941, he became one of the OUN's leaders. During World War II, he headed a OUN-organized anti-Nazi underground in Dnipropetrovsk
from 1942-1943, before returning to western Ukraine. After UPA leader Roman Shukhevych
's death in 1950, Kuk assumed the role of commander of the UPA and of the OUN in Ukraine. Kuk was captured by Soviet forces in 1954. After six years of imprisonment and interrogation, he was amnestied and allowed to move to Kiev
. After obtaining a philosophy degree from Kiev University
he worked at Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR before his eventual dismissal as an undesirable, following the publication of his book "Marxism-Leninism about the Ukrainian National Question." In the 1990s he became active in UPA veteran affairs. He died at the age of 94 and was buried in his native village. He was described by Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's president, as the "personification of the Ukrainian idea."
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
nationalist who was the last leader of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, following the death of Roman Shukhevych
Roman Shukhevych
Roman Taras Yosypovych Shukhevych was a Ukrainian politician and military leader, the general of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.-Childhood:Roman Taras Yosypovych Shukhevych was born in the city of Krakovets, Jaworow powiat, in Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria which is located today between Lviv and...
.
Biography
Vasyl Kuk was born in KrasneBusk Raion
Busk Raion is a raion in Lviv Oblast in western Ukraine. Its administrative center is Busk. It has a population of 50 871.It was establishes in 1966.-External links:*...
, Zolochiv County, Galicia, now in Busk Raion
Busk Raion
Busk Raion is a raion in Lviv Oblast in western Ukraine. Its administrative center is Busk. It has a population of 50 871.It was establishes in 1966.-External links:*...
, Lviv Oblast
Lviv Oblast
Lviv Oblast is an oblast in western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Lviv.-History:The oblast was created as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on December 4, 1939...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
on January 11, 1913. He studied law at the Catholic University of Lublin
John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin is located in Lublin, Poland. Presently it has an enrollment of over 19,000 students...
and joined the radical Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists is a Ukrainian political organization which as a movement originally was created in 1929 in Western Ukraine . The OUN accepted violence as an acceptable tool in the fight against foreign and domestic enemies particularly Poland and Russia...
. In 1937 he went underground in order to escape the Polish police. In 1941, he became one of the OUN's leaders. During World War II, he headed a OUN-organized anti-Nazi underground in Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
from 1942-1943, before returning to western Ukraine. After UPA leader Roman Shukhevych
Roman Shukhevych
Roman Taras Yosypovych Shukhevych was a Ukrainian politician and military leader, the general of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.-Childhood:Roman Taras Yosypovych Shukhevych was born in the city of Krakovets, Jaworow powiat, in Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria which is located today between Lviv and...
's death in 1950, Kuk assumed the role of commander of the UPA and of the OUN in Ukraine. Kuk was captured by Soviet forces in 1954. After six years of imprisonment and interrogation, he was amnestied and allowed to move to Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. After obtaining a philosophy degree from Kiev University
Kiev University
Taras Shevchenko University or officially the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv , colloquially known in Ukrainian as KNU is located in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. It is the third oldest university in Ukraine after the University of Lviv and Kharkiv University. Currently, its structure...
he worked at Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR before his eventual dismissal as an undesirable, following the publication of his book "Marxism-Leninism about the Ukrainian National Question." In the 1990s he became active in UPA veteran affairs. He died at the age of 94 and was buried in his native village. He was described by Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's president, as the "personification of the Ukrainian idea."