Killing of Those Who Surrender

in the campaign “Soviet-Ukrainian War: Second Invasion and Resource Depletion (1919)”

Don Cossacks of the White army of General Denikin killed Ukrainian Galician riflemen taken prisoner - the command of the Galician Army lodged a formal protest with the Whites' command, and the Galician Army's own military court confirmed that the killings of prisoners were fact. On 25 October 1919 the Supreme Command - the staff of the Galician Army (UHA) - sent, as recorded in its war diary, a mission to the Whites' command - otaman Lysniak, sotnyks Levytsky and Kurytsia - "who were to lodge a formal protest against the killings of our prisoners by the Don Cossacks"[1]. In the delegation's written commission the task was recorded thus: "first, to protest against the killing of our prisoners by Denikin's troops, as took place in Haisyn, and second, to discuss the matter of an exchange of prisoners." Otaman Lysniak testified in court: "In Vinnytsia I received the commission to go to the Staff of the Volunteer Army [Denikin's, the 'Whites'], hand over the said protest and negotiate an exchange of prisoners"; the delegation was received by general Slashchov, who promised "to telephone Denikin"[1]. In November 1919, at the military trial of UHA commander general Tarnavsky, sotnyk Kurdiak asked "whether the killings by the Don Cossacks were fact or fiction"; Tarnavsky replied: "It is fact. Witness - otaman Bukshovany, and indeed the 5th Brigade"[1].

ID: C0074.T0162.002
Start: January 1919
End: December 1919
Contributors: decolonial.ist project

References