The fight of the NKVD with the nationalist underground in Ukraine, 1945

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From LVIV

Moscow, NKVD USSR - Comrade BERIA

I am reporting on the results of individual operations carried out in recent days:

1. On March 12 and 13 of this year, according to agents, by the forces of the operational staff of the Tsumansky District NKVD, Volyn region; Derazhnensky RO NKVD, Rivne region, and a unit of the 277th rifle regiment of the NKVD troops carried out an operation to eliminate the united remnants of previously defeated gangs - “Gamalia”, “Lysa”, “Daleky” and the SB “Koli” militant group, which were part of the “Galaida” kuren, with a total number of up to 270 people operating at the junction of 2 regions.

During the ensuing battle and further persecution on March 12 and 13 this year. 169 bandits were killed, 2 were captured alive. Among those killed were identified: the chairman of the UPA court nicknamed “Zney”, the even “Oak” and “Frost”, the swarm “Birch” and “Chereshnya”.

The following trophies were taken: 8 light machine guns, 10 machine guns, 4 revolvers and pistols, 53 rifles, 7 grenades, 5,200 cartridges and other military property.

Our losses: one NKVD officer and 2 ordinary soldiers were killed, 8 soldiers were wounded.

2. On March 14 of this year, while continuing the operation to clear out the bandit elements of the settlements of the Ostorozhetsky district, Rivne region, the NKVD security and military group encountered the “Vykhrya” mounted gang and the personal guard of the commander of the southern UPA group “Zneya”, an unknown number, and started a fight.

During the battle to eliminate the “Vykhrya” gang, a security and military group discovered 2 groups of horsemen led by the “Broom” bandit.

As a result of the fighting, 67 people were killed, among whom the leader of the gang “Vykhr” and his deputy “Ivas” were identified. 6 bandits were captured alive.

The following items were collected on the battlefield: grenade launchers - 3, heavy machine guns - 1, light machine guns - 4, machine guns - 11, revolvers and pistols - 13, rifles - 13, rifles - 13, grenades - 13, cartridges - 2300.

Our losses: 2 soldiers killed and 1 wounded.

3. The Lanchinsky RO NKVD received information from agents that in the village of Cherny Potok, Pechenezhsky district, Stanislavsky region, a hundred “Vykhrya”, numbering over 100 people, were located and closed all approaches to the above-mentioned village.

On the night of March 10 this year. The task force, using experienced guides from the 87th border detachment of the NKVD troops of the Carpathian District, together with fighters from the extermination battalion, suddenly attacked the gang and started a battle.

As a result of the battle and pursuit, 77 bandits were killed and 39 bandits were captured alive.

The following trophies were taken: light machine guns - 10, rifles - 19, pistols - 2, grenades - 39, cartridges - 3,260.

4. March 12 this year According to agent "Bely", in the village of Oreshkivtsi, Kopychinsky district, Ternopil region, the operational staff of the NKVD RO and a unit of the 226th separate rifle battalion of the NKVD internal troops carried out an operation to defeat and liquidate the Kopychinsky povitovy wire of the OUN.

As a result of the operation, 11 bandits from the OUN line were killed, among whom were identified the head of the Kopychin district line of the OUN - SHUNK, the propaganda referent of the Kopychin line of the OUN "Orlik", the SB supervisor of the Kopychin line of the OUN "Roman" and the military intelligence officer of the Kopychin district line of the OUN - NIKOLCHYSHIN.

Confiscated: 1 heavy machine guns, 3 machine guns, 2 rifles, 2 revolvers, 8 grenades and various documents.

March 15 this year A unit of the 187th separate rifle battalion of the internal troops of the NKVD, together with the operational staff of the RO NKVD, during an operation in the Bogdanets district, Ternopil region, discovered a UPA gang of unknown size, with which a battle was fought.

As a result of the battle, the gang was almost completely eliminated. 42 bandits were killed and 18 bandits were captured alive.

Collected on the battlefield: 1 light machine guns, 36 rifles.

5. March 14 this year The operational staff of the RO NKVD and a unit of the internal troops of the NKVD carried out an operation to eliminate the “Yarko” gang, located on the territory of the Ostrovsky district, Rivne region.

As a result of the operation and the battle, 39 bandits from the gang were killed.

The following trophies were taken: light machine guns - 2, machine guns - 2, rifles - 19, pistols - 2, grenades - 17, cartridges - 1,650, horses - 28, carts - 28.

NKVD of the Ukrainian SSR - R Y S N O Y.
________________

In November 1944, during a Chikist-military operation in the Lanovets district, Ternopil region, the commander of a hundred UPA ROMANCHUK, a native of the village, was wounded and captured. Shkudov, Rivne region.

During the investigation, it was established that ROMANCHUK knows well a number of people from among the leadership of the OUN-UPA. Based on this, the NKVD of the Ukrainian SSR decided to recruit him and use him as the commander of a special group under the nickname “Khmara”.

The Khmara special group was formed from former partisans and legalized bandits, numbering 50 people.

To carry out undercover work, an employee of the NKVD of the Ukrainian SSR was included in the group - Art. Lieutenant KASCHEYEV.

The group was given a walkie-talkie.

In January-February of this year. The Khmary special group carried out a series of raids in the most bandit-affected areas of the Rivne region, during which the following was done:

In the Koretsky district, she eliminated the district communications chief “Shamgai”, who maintained contact between the commanders of the UPA groups “Vereshchak” and “Zneem”.

In February, in the Lyudvipolsky district, she established contact with the district and district wires of the OUN, the hundred “Nedolya” and the sabotage group “Chumak”.

As a result, the group received information about the bandits preparing a raid on the regional center of Berezko, about which the NKVD RO was promptly informed.

According to the Khmara group, a chikist-military operation was carried out, during which “Nedolya”, “Chumak”, together with their guards of 14 people, were liquidated by a special group.

In the Vitkovichi farmsteads, Bereznovsky district, a special group disarmed and handed over to the NKVD RO 24 members of the underground OUN organization, including 6 leading underground workers.

There, the Khmara group liquidated a bandit group of 15 people. Among those killed were identified: regional OUN conductor “Winged”, conductor of the women’s network “Yarina” and regional military assistant “Kolya”.

In total, in January-February, the Khmara special group liquidated 54 OUN-UPA members, of which 30 were killed, 24 were captured alive. The special group had no losses.

HEAD OF THE MAIN DIRECTORATE OF THE NKVD OF THE USSR
ON COMBATING BANDITISM - A. LEONTIEV

Right:

Sent out:

T. Stalin
T. Molotov
T. Malenkov
"23" March 1945
No. 337/b