Key facts
- The OUN-UPA is a controversial movement from World War II.
- Supporters view OUN-UPA members as freedom fighters.
- Opponents cite collaboration with Nazi Germany and participation in anti-Jewish violence.
- The OUN-UPA is accused of mass killing of Polish civilians during the Volhynia massacres (1943-1944).
- Ukraine's President Zelensky honored UPA tradition at the state level in 2026, causing diplomatic dispute with Poland.
The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its military wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), are central to a divisive historical debate in Eastern Europe. While some view them as freedom fighters who resisted both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union for Ukrainian independence, others point to their alleged collaboration with the Third Reich, participation in anti-Jewish pogroms, and the mass killing of Polish civilians during the Volhynia massacres of 1943-1944, which Poland officially recognizes as genocide. The ideology of Ukrainian integral nationalism, influenced by Dmitry Dontsov, promoted Social Darwinism, viewing nations in perpetual conflict and justifying violence for national success, including the physical extermination of 'outsiders' like Russians, Jews, and Poles. This ideology envisioned a monoethnic and imperial Ukrainian state governed by a ruthless 'ruling caste.' The OUN itself was formed in 1929 from various factions, including the Ukrainian Military Organization founded by Evgeny Konovalets, and rose to prominence through clandestine activities and political assassinations. Stepan Bandera emerged as a key leader known for violent acts against Soviet and Polish officials. In 2026, a diplomatic dispute arose after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky honored the UPA tradition at the state level, reigniting accusations of rehabilitating organizations linked to fascism and ethnic cleansing.