DISCIPLINARY RESPONSIBILITY AND TRIAL IN THE UKRAINIAN INSURGENT ARMY (1943 – 1947)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the peculiarities of the formation of the basic principles of disciplinary responsibility and the organization of judicial proceedings in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (1943 – 1947). The research methodology is based on the principles of scientificity, systematicity, general scientific (analysis, synthesis) and special-historical (historical-typological, historical-systemic, historical-comparative) methods and methods of criticism of historical sources. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that, on the basis of unknown and little-known sources, a comprehensive study of judicial and disciplinary practice in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (1943 – 1947) was conducted. Conclusions. Thus, the Principles of Judicial and Disciplinary Practice in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army were initiated in the summer of 1943 in the territories of Volyn and Western Polissia. At the end of the same year, the insurgent judiciary spread to Galicia and the neighboring territories of eastern Poland and Slovakia. The main judicial and disciplinary bodies in the units of the UPA were “Field Courts”. If necessary, they convened at every hundred. It was assumed that one of the three judges of the “Field Court” would hold a position not lower than the level of centurion, the second – squad leader. Sentences were handed down on the basis of the “UPA Disciplinary Statute”. In it, crimes were divided into light and serious. The latter included: treason, vandalism, failure to comply with an order that led to significant losses, repeated desertion. Those accused of serious crimes were mostly executed. The commander of the relevant rebel unit approved the verdict of the “Field Court”. “Cossack courts” usually dealt with minor crimes. They were summoned by the commanders of insurgent units in case of: drunkenness, failure to comply with an order without serious consequences, minor thefts. The sentences were: sending to the “penal departments”, “criminal arrest”, “shompoling” in front of the line, “standing under the gun” or “falling of fates” on command. In case of repeated prosecution, the punishment was increased up to and including execution