Volga Tatars in the ranks of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army

The armed struggle of the peoples enslaved by Moscow for freedom and independence is the most taboo topic in imperial historiography. One can be proud of Musa Jalil (without delving into the reasons for the creation of Tatar military formations in the Wehrmacht). Admiration for General Shaimuratov is welcome. It is even allowed to weep in memory of those scientists, imams and mullahs, writers, poets and artists who were executed by the red Moscow in the 1918-1950s by the thousands. In 1937 alone, 3,056 people were shot in Tatarstan. And that’s just for a year! But even remembering the victims of repression, the Tatars must repeat that “not everything is so simple” – so that the Russians would not suddenly think that the Tatars harbored a grudge because of some trifling executions. In Tatar academic circles, it is considered good form to emphasize that the Bolsheviks executed not only Tatars,

However, what is strictly forbidden is to talk about armed struggle against the empire and against the enslavement of the Tatars. Hence the prohibitions on holding “Khater Kone”. Hence the demonization of the Idel-Ural legion, which fought against the Red Army during the Second World War.

Today we want to tell you about one more forbidden page of the Tatar history – the Tatars in the ranks of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.

How did non-Ukrainians get into the UPA? As a rule, these were Red Army soldiers who either escaped from captivity or were released by the Germans from captivity – this is also a little-known page in history, when the Germans released thousands of captured Red Army soldiers to work in their rear. These were both Red Army Ukrainians and representatives of other nations, in particular, Russians, Azerbaijanis, Kumyks, Circassians, Tatars, Bashkirs, as well as representatives of the Finno-Ugric peoples of Idel-Ural.

“The Tatars were among the first to go over to the side of the UPA. Moreover, they not only crossed over, but also began to boldly fight in the rebel ranks. There are many documents about this. In particular, in mid-November 1943, there were about 50 Tatars united in one couple in the hundreds of Gamalia, located in the village of Bortniki, Tlumachsky district. They were commanded by a native of the Kuban, a senior lieutenant named Sergei. … At the end of 1943, former Red Army soldiers – immigrants from the Volga region, Central Asia and the Caucasus, who were in the rebel departments on the territory of Galicia, by order of the UPA command, were sent to Volyn … “, – says the researcher of the history of the UPA and the author of the book “Bandera International” Oleg Stetsishin.

Below is a list of Tatars who fought in one single hundred “Pevny” (hundred – as the UPA called the company) as part of the “Boguna” group (commander Petro Oliynyk), which was part of the “UPA-Pivden” (Ukrainian “UPA-South” ).

· Shekir Shonardenov – “Kolya”, born in 1920, Kazan. Education 5 classes. In the UPA, since October 1943, rank (in the UPA, instead of military ranks, there was a system of ranks, where a Cossack corresponded to an ordinary soldier): Cossack. Tatar.

Tagir Muzin – “Shumak”, born in 1910 Education 7 classes. In the UPA since October 15, 1943 Rank: Cossack. Tatar.

· Fayzulla Safin – “Lame”, born in 1918, Kazan. Education 6 classes. In the UPA since October 1943. Rank: Cossack. Tatar.

· Khorun Duskanov – “Bone”, born in 1908 Education 5 classes. In the UPA since October 1943. Rank: Cossack. Tatar.

· F. Dautov – “Fedya”, born in 1915, Bashkortostan. 4th grade education. In the UPA since October 1943. Rank: Cossack. Tatar.

· F. Khoseinov – “Tailor”, born in 1911, Kazan. 3rd grade education. In the UPA since October 1943. Rank: Cossack. Tatar.

· Magomed Sharipov – “Misha”, born in 1914, Kazan. 3rd grade education. In the UPA since October 1943. Rank: Cossack. Tatar.

· Gidiyat (Gibat) Islaimov (name and surname are illegible), born in 1905, Ufa. 2nd grade education. In the UPA since October 1943. Rank: Cossack. Tatar.

This is not a complete list of the Volga Tatars who fought in the ranks of the UPA. Unfortunately, we know very little about the majority of Bandera Tatars. Perhaps one of our readers will find their relative in this list and will be able to supplement a short biographical note. In any case, the Tatars in the ranks of the UPA are a bright page in the recent history of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. The post-war fate of these people was different. Someone died under the Ukrainian flag, fighting with the NKVD or the Germans, someone deserted from the UPA and surrendered to SMERSH units, others were captured and served their sentences in Soviet concentration camps. What is known for certain is that not a single Tatar, being in the ranks of the UPA, did what the Soviet government did in his homeland: he did not close mosques, did not arrest or execute the Tatar intelligentsia, did not take away the language, religion from his people, history and culture. Aidagez alarny iskә tosherik!