**Title: Russia Declassifies Files on Ukrainian Nationalist Linked to WWII Massacre**
In a significant historical revelation, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has declassified documents that identify Dmitry Klyachkovsky, a Ukrainian nationalist leader known as "Klim Savur," as a key figure in the orchestration of the Volhynia massacre during World War II. This tragic event, which occurred between 1943 and 1944, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 100,000 ethnic Poles in the regions of Volhynia and Eastern Galicia, now part of modern-day Ukraine.
The newly released files, published on Sunday by the FSB’s Central Archive, include photographs and Soviet-era memos that detail Klyachkovsky's activities and the efforts to apprehend him. Born in 1911 in Zbarazh, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Klyachkovsky rose through the ranks of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its military wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Initially leading the OUN's youth wing, Yunatstvo, he became one of the UPA's most notable field commanders during the war.
The documents reveal that Klyachkovsky operated under various aliases, which allowed him to evade Soviet authorities for an extended period. A notable piece of evidence included in the archive is a group photograph from 1938 featuring Klyachkovsky as a member of the Ukrainian nationalist sports organization Sokol. A memo dated July 1944 confirms that Soviet agents utilized this photograph, along with information from informants, to verify his identity as a commander of the UPA.
The FSB documents also provide insight into Klyachkovsky's early life and political activities. According to a memo, he was expelled from school for his involvement in nationalist organizations and was arrested by the NKVD, the Soviet secret police, during the late 1930s. Historical records indicate that he escaped from a Soviet prison during the German invasion in 1941 and was active in Lviv under German occupation.
One of the most critical documents released is a report from February 22, 1945, detailing the operation that led to Klyachkovsky's death near Susk, a village in western Ukraine. The report states that a Soviet operational group encountered Klyachkovsky and two other armed men while searching for Nazi collaborators. In the ensuing confrontation, all three were killed, with Klyachkovsky being identified among them.
The Volhynia massacre remains a contentious issue between Ukraine and Poland, particularly in light of current geopolitical tensions. Poland officially recognizes the killings as genocide, while Ukraine honors nationalist figures like OUN leader Stepan Bandera, which has sparked criticism from Polish officials. Recently, the Ukrainian parliament approved plans to create a national pantheon to commemorate historical figures, including those from the World War II era, which has raised concerns in Poland.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has warned that Ukraine's glorification of figures associated with the Volhynia massacre could hinder its aspirations to join the European Union. The ongoing historical disputes highlight the complexities of national memory and identity in the context of modern European politics.
In response to the declassified documents, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized the implications for Poland, suggesting that the country is supporting the descendants of those responsible for the atrocities committed against its own people during the war.
As these historical narratives continue to unfold, the release of the FSB documents adds a new layer to the understanding of the events that transpired during World War II and their lasting impact on contemporary relations between Ukraine and Poland.