5 March is the day when Roman Shukhevych, the legendary commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), died. This is a man who not only fought for Ukraine but lived this struggle until his last breath.
Shukhevych was born on 30 June 1907 in Lviv to a family of intellectuals. In his youth, he actively participated in the national liberation movement, was a member of the OUN, fought against the Polish government, and then against the occupiers – first German, and later Soviet. In 1943, he led the UPA and turned it into a powerful force that resisted the Red Army and the NKVD for a long time.
The Soviets hated Shukhevych. And they feared him. He was more than just a commander – he was a symbol of the fight for independence. His partisans carried out pinpoint strikes against the enemy, destroyed important objects and left, remaining elusive.
But Shukhevych was not only a warrior. He played the piano beautifully, was a professional athlete, and before the war worked as a successful businessman. However, when the time came to choose between life and struggle, he chose the latter without hesitation.
On 5 March 1950, when Soviet secret services surrounded the house near Lviv where he was hiding, Shukhevych did not surrender. He accepted the fight and died, not giving the enemy the satisfaction of taking him alive.
Today, Roman Shukhevych is one of the most iconic figures in Ukrainian history. For some, he is a hero, for others, a terrible nightmare, which even decades later causes hatred among the descendants of the NKVD. But the fact remains: he fought for Ukraine, and his name is inscribed in history forever.
Daniil Kozachok
