A MAN OF IRON WILL - 110TH ANNIVERSARY SINCE ROMAN SHUKHEVYCH BIRTHDAY

Clearly that now, at the time of new Russian invasion to the Ukrainian land, the historical image of General Roman Shukhevych acquires new meanings and values. On June 30 we mark the birthday of the founder and the glorious commander of the UPA. Suchevich life was full of danger, romanticism and adventure, since youth he'd chosen a noble life of a freedom fighter. Of course, his accidental meeting with Yevhen Konovalets in Lviv in 1921 contributed to such his life choice. 

Historians agree that the future UPA general's political views were formed under the influence of such significant historian events as the World War I and the First Ukrainian Nation-Liberation Struggle. Stormy times of 1914-22 had left a significant mark in Shukhevych heart and soul. Further, it became a driving force for struggle for the triumph of high ideals of Ukrainian nationalism.

After entering the UVO, and later to the OUN in 30's young Roman Shukhevych showed himself as a person of physical hardiness. Basing on high ideological values and principles of chivalrous honor he proceeded to prepare an attempt on the Soviet Consul in Lviv as a first act of revenge for the Bolsheviks' arranged  shooting of Ukrainian intelligentsia and the geniocide of Ukrainian nation through artificially organized famine.

And of course, such a trifle as 4 years in prison simply could not break the brave warrior. All his free time in the Brygidki prison Shalkevich had been perfecting own skills and preparing for further struggle phisically and spiritually. 

Subsequently, these skills were needed in real battles for free Carpatho-Ukraine. Amnestied in 1937, Roman Shukhevych, along with Zenon Kossak and Michaylo Kolodzinsky, went to the Zakarpattia (Transcarpatia), where he was one of the organizers of Ukrainian resistence in the region. After a while, in the winter of 1940 he actively participated in creation of the OUN Revolutionary Council, organized courses on national-cultural and social work, and conducted high-level military trainings for the OUN  members and sympathizers. Roman Shukhevych was sure of all 100% that a nation-liberation revolution was in the air, and every next moment can trigger Ukrainian patriots to take up arms, arrange the national armed forces and stand up for the defense of their own land.

And his prophecy came true in the summer of 1941 with the outbreak of the German-Soviet conflict. At this time Roman Shukhevych was entrusted to organize the units of Ukrainian Nationalists militia units, and after a year - units of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. At that time the UPA general was known under the pseudo "Taras Chuprinka." Under his command the Ukrainian nationalist army had been cunducting its victorious struggle in Volhynia, Galicia and Podillya regions. Noticible, that Roman Shukhevich was a man of modest nature, despite the high authority in the nationalist environment. He used to say: "I'll be satisfied serving in a lowes rank in the Armed Forces of independent Ukraine, if only Ukraine to be free."

Shortly before his death, Shukhevych said that if a nation will compromise with the enemy and agree to live in danger, instead of trying to defeat it, then such nation is doomed, it will gradually disappear from the face of the earth. Fortunately, we see gradual return of the names of true Ukrainian historian personalities to modern cultural life of Ukraine. Yeasterday, on the 110th anniversary sine Roman Shuchevich birthday, a decision of the Kyiv City Council came into force on renaming one of the capital's central prospectus after the glorious UPA general.

Denis KOVALYOV, ПРАВИЙ СЕКТОР