If I am already describing the tragedy of the Poles in the winter months 1943/1944, I would like to briefly present the structure of UPA at that time.
The full activity of the armed forces was headed by the UPA office which included: the UPA Chief Commandant Roman Szuchewycz, the Deputy Chief Commandant of UPA Rostysław Wołoszyn and the Chief of the Dmytro Hrycaj Chief Military Staff.
The Chief Military Staff consisted of the following branches:
Organisation and mobilisation
Exploratory Branch
Economic Branch
Training Unit
Propaganda branch
Political and educational department
The Chief Military Staff was under the command of the operational groups. There were 4 operational groups:
The North UPA included the areas of Volyn and Polesia
The UPA “West” included the area of east Galicia, Bukowina, Zakarpacka Ukraine and the southeastern part of Poland.
"South" UPA – the areas of the stone-podolsko-żytomierski, the winery and the confederate part of Kiev entered.
The UPA “East” was to include northern parts of the ryemier and Kiev circuits and the Chernihov region.
There were only UPA “North” and UPA “West”. The another 2 failed due to the fact that the nationalist ideas did not perceive to the Ukrainian population in the area.
Each operation group consisted of Military Districts.
The composition and strength of UPA troops changed according to political and military situations.
The smallest unit of territorial division of UPA was the alleged tactical section.
The largest tactical unit of UPA "West" was a hen (battalion), which averaged 400-800 people.
The hen had quite a few firepower, quite a few device guns. At the end of 1945, each hen was armed with 40 device guns and 100 device guns. The another uppers were armed with average rifles.
The hen consisted of 3-4 sotnia(company). Sotnia may have entered part of the hens or acted alone. Its function grew more and more as our troops' actions against Ukrainian fascists were activated. The sots averaged 60 to 200 people. The average sotnia armament consisted of more than 20 device guns, respective twelve device guns and respective twelve rifles. In addition, sotnos had gunfires and mortars.
The sotni should be composed of 3 pistols and 1 dense weapon (ckm, mortars). In each sotnia, a group of field gendarmerie who executed sentences, pursued deserters, and dealt with the elimination of prisoners and those uncomfortable for UPA.
The forehead averaged 30-50 people and consisted of 3 swarms (teams). The swarm consisted of 10-12 people.
As of 1944, local military sub-units (self-defence Kuszczowe Widdiły (SKW) were organized in the Kuszczy area, armed with farm tools. They carried out diversion activities either alone or in cooperation with UPA sub-units. SKW members lived legally in villages and were mobilised for action if necessary. The farm tools were suitable for dense blows. The Ukrainians were targeting victims with highly cruel murders resembling medieval practices. So limbs or female breasts were cut, abdomens were torn, eyes were peeled, etc. The corpses were frequently profaned. The nature of torture and methods of killing were well documented by Polish researchers, and publications devoted to it are (it is unknown how long) easy available in Polish libraries.
The SKW besides organized protection of UPA warehouses and facilities, held exploratory and intelligence functions, and took care of injured and sick people. A well organized SKW grid was crucial for UPA. Upon arriving in fresh areas, UPA sub-units immediately established communication with the SKW network, which provided them with care and information about the military movement. At the same time, a tiny UPA branch could grow by respective 100 people within a short time, mobilising a adequate number of SKW units. After the task, the SKW members returned home, and a tiny UPA branch could slip distant from the troops chasing him.
The smallest combat unit of the SKW was 30-50 people who formed 3-4 swarms, the smallest tactical units in the structure of the Ukrainian Insurgency Army.
If individual killed a twelve people, killing the others wasn't a problem. UPA squad is on the move.
Watch episode one. Where to watch episode two? Information in the description or on FilmSasieds.pl
