HISTORY OF THE PRINCE SVIATOSLAV BATTALION OF THE UKRAINIAN INSURGENT ARMY

• Main Author: Igor Bigun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University 2020-06-01
• Series: Київські історичні студії
• Subjects: volhynia; “turiv” group; ivan bogun detachment; prince sviatoslav battalion; vasyl lukyanchuck‑‘beskyd’; “sich”
• Online Access: https://istorstudio.kubg.edu.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/218

In this article, the history of the Prince Sviatoslav Battalion which was a part of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army Ivan Bogun Detachment of the “Turiv” Group is investigated. For the first time in the historiography the battalion’s organizational structure and its evolution are thoroughly studied, as well as structure of companies, consisted of: “Viter” (later “Orlyk”), “Batko Bogun”, “Zaberezhny” and “Svitlana” NCO School. The battalion’s numerical strength ranged between 425 and 586 men. In addition, warfare waged by companies of the battalion against the German occupiers and Polish partisan units in the modern Volodymyr-Volynsky and Turiysk districts is described. These were numerous clashes with the Nazi occupational units from Volodymyr-Volynsky garrison (German troops and local police), road ambushes, and the massive assaults on the Polish Resistance strongpoint in the town of Kupychiv. Finally, reasons of the battalion disband in the early 1944 are analysed. They include partial demobilization and reorganization of units in order to prepare for future crossing of the German-Soviet frontline. In the middle of January, 1944 two new companies were created on the basis of the Prince Sviatoslav Battalion elements.