Petro Dyachenko
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Petro Havrylovych Dyachenko (January 30, 1895 - April 23, 1965) was Ukrainian Military Leader, commander of the Black Zaporozhets, the 2nd division of the
Ukrainian National Army Ukrainian National Army (UNA) was a World War II Ukrainian military group, created on March 17, 1945 in Weimar, Germany, and subordinate to Ukrainian National Committee. The army, formed on April 15, 1945, and commanded by General Pavlo Shandruk ...
, the anti-tank brigade "Free Ukraine". Military ranks — colonel of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic (from June 23, 1920), corporal general (with seniority from October 15, 1929; order Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic, No. 6, February 1, 1961). The regiment of Black Zaporozhets under the leadership of Petro Dyachenko distinguished itself in the battles near Sydoriv and
Voznesensk Voznesensk ( uk, Вознесенськ, ; russian: Вознесенск) is a city in Mykolaiv Oblast (region) of Ukraine and the administrative center of Voznesensk Raion (district). It hosts the administration of the Voznesensk urban hromada ...
. Mykhailo Omelyanovych-Pavlenko called the Black Zaporozhian regiment the best regiment of the
Ukrainian Army The Ukrainian Ground Forces ( uk, Сухопу́тні військá Збрóйних сил Украї́ни), also known as the Ukrainian Army, are the land forces of Ukraine and one of the five branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They we ...
. He graduated from the Real School in
Myrhorod Myrhorod ( uk, Ми́ргород, ) is a city in the Poltava Oblast (province) of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Myrhorod Raion (district), the city itself is administratively incorporated as a city of oblast s ...
. Participant of the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
: a volunteer in the Russian Imperial Army, a private, later a non-commissioned officer, and after studying at the School of Ensigns in
Orenburg Orenburg (russian: Оренбу́рг, ), formerly known as Chkalov (1938–1957), is the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies on the Ural River, southeast of Moscow. Orenburg is also very close to the Kazakhstan-Russia bor ...
, an officer (in 1917, a
staff captain Staff captain is the English translation of a number of military ranks: Historical use of the rank Czechoslovakia In the Czechoslovak Army, until 1953, Staff Captain ( cs, štábní kapitán, sk, štábny kapitán) was a senior captain ran ...
). In 1917 he joined the army of the
Ukrainian People's Republic The Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR), or Ukrainian National Republic (UNR), was a country in Eastern Europe that existed between 1917 and 1920. It was declared following the February Revolution in Russia by the First Universal. In March 1 ...
. 1918  — a participant in the liberation of
Poltava Poltava (, ; uk, Полтава ) is a city located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the capital city of the Poltava Oblast (province) and of the surrounding Poltava Raion (district) of the oblast. Poltava is administratively ...
and
Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
under the command of Colonel Petro Bolbochan. A centurion (since 11/23/1918) and a henchman (since 1/17/1919 ) of a separate "partisan" henchman in the Zaporizhzhya regiment under Petro Bolbochan. After the coming to power of Hetman Pavel Skoropadskyi on April 29, 1918, Petro Dyachenko did not leave the army, but continued his service in the cavalry hundred of the 2nd Zaporizhzhya Regiment of the Army of the Ukrainian State. During the anti-hetman uprising, the hundred was deployed in the separate horse camp named after Ataman Petro Bolbochan. On November 23, 1918, Dyachenko was appointed a centurion, and on January 17, 1919, he was appointed an officer.


Under the Command of Bolbochan

On January 22, 1919, in
Kremenchuk Kremenchuk (; uk, Кременчу́к, Kremenchuk ) is an industrial city in central Ukraine which stands on the banks of the Dnipro River. The city serves as the administrative center of the Kremenchuk Raion (district) in Poltava Oblast (pr ...
, by order of Simon Petliura, Omelyan Voloh arrested Colonel Petro Bolbochan , one of the most authoritative figures among the Ukrainian army. The cavalry division of centurion Petro Dyachenko immediately went to
Kremenchuk Kremenchuk (; uk, Кременчу́к, Kremenchuk ) is an industrial city in central Ukraine which stands on the banks of the Dnipro River. The city serves as the administrative center of the Kremenchuk Raion (district) in Poltava Oblast (pr ...
to relieve its commander. By the way, in the village Kryukove, the
Cossacks The Cossacks , es, cosaco , et, Kasakad, cazacii , fi, Kasakat, cazacii , french: cosaques , hu, kozákok, cazacii , it, cosacchi , orv, коза́ки, pl, Kozacy , pt, cossacos , ro, cazaci , russian: казаки́ or ...
disarmed a unit of the Volochiv 3rd Haydamatsky Regiment, which accompanied the arrested. Only Bolbochan's personal request kept Dyachenko from further use of weapons. The Zaporozhians continued to take care of the fate of their beloved commander. But their requests were ignored. The appeal of the commanders of the Black Zaporozhians and division to return Colonel Bolbochan to them , which was also signed by Petro Dyachenko, remained unanswered. Dyachenko and other Black Zaporozhian Senior Officers intended to contact the
Sich riflemen The Sich Riflemen Halych-Bukovyna Kurin ( uk, Січові Cтрільці з Галичини та Буковини) were one of the first regular military units of the Ukrainian People's Army. The unit operated from 1917 to 1919 and was for ...
and jointly seize the trains with the government and hold them until Colonel Bolbochan was released. But Bolbochan categorically forbade them to hold this action. However, when the black men learned that Colonel Bolbochan was being tortured, Petro Dyachenko prepared a strike group that was to attack the Balyn station, where the former commander of the Black Zaporozhian Cossacks was being held . This group, in addition to the Black Zaporozhian regiment , included hundreds of Nalivaikiv and Mazepyn regiments. However, without the consent of Bolbochan himself, Dyachenko did not dare to take this risky step. When
Petliura Symon Vasylyovych Petliura ( uk, Си́мон Васи́льович Петлю́ра; – May 25, 1926) was a Ukrainian politician and journalist. He became the Supreme Commander of the Ukrainian Army and the President of the Ukrainian People' ...
arrived at the front and the Cossacks raised the issue of the commander's return to him again, the Chief Ataman assured "that a hair will not fall from Colonel Bolbochan's head and his arrest is temporary . " Petliura confirmed the promise with the word of honor. Petro Dyachenko admitted that, when the Black Zaporozhians found out about Bolbochan's execution, Petlyura lost his popularity among the officers and Cossacks of the regiment by the end of the war . On June 27,
1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...
, the Chief Ataman ordered to rename the kurin named after Petro Bolbochan to the regiment, but without the name of the disgraced colonel. That is how Petro Dyachenko became the commander of the Zaporozhian Cavalry Separate Cavalry Regiment of the Zaporozhian Corps , later renamed the Cavalry Regiment of the Black Zaporozhian Cossacks .


The First Winter Hike

Petro Dyachenko took part in the
First Winter Campaign The First Winter Campaign was a campaign by the army of the Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR) against Bolshevik forces in Ukraine during the Ukrainian-Soviet War. It began on December 6, 1919, and lasted until May 6, 1920. The main task of the Wi ...
. Knight of the Order of the Iron Cross . The regiment commanded by Dyachenko, on the eve of the Winter campaign, numbered 212 sabers, 11 heavy machine guns "Maxim", 9 light machine guns "Lewis", one cannon. A total of 417 Cossacks and officers. On December 6, 1919, the remnants of the Ukrainian army left the
Lubar Liubar ( uk, Любар, russian: Лю́бар, pl, Lubar) is an urban-type settlement in Zhytomyr Raion, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine. Population: History According to historical and archaeological data, Liubar is the possible location of the anc ...
 — Chortoriya  — Myropil district for the encampment of the people of
Denikin Anton Ivanovich Denikin (russian: Анто́н Ива́нович Дени́кин, link= ; 16 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O.S._4_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New St ...
. The Ukrainian army was walking through a terrible swamp against a strong wind and snow. They borrowed horses and fodder from the people of Galicia whom the soldiers of the UNR Army met near the railway line Kozyatyn  — Kalynivka (promised to return them as soon as they left the people of Denikin). On December 11, 1919, they approached Golendra station. It was captured by the 4th Hundredth Regiment of the Black Zaporozhets almost without firing a single shot. Those Denikin residents who surrendered were captured, others who tried to escape were beheaded. Having destroyed the railway and telegraph, they moved on to Samhorodok . On December 17, 1919, Dyachenko and fifty Cossacks attacked the
volunteers Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...
in the town of Yurkivtsi . The volunteers did not have time to deploy into a row, and began to hastily shoot back with machine guns. In the attack, one of the best Cossacks of the regiment was killed - Ivan Dubin of Bunchuzh from Lokhvytsky District . Among the trophies are three heavy machine guns, 30 wagons with property, 40 officers, their wives and two dozen privates. Mykola Bredov almost fell into Ukrainian captivity during the battle . In the village of Kapitanivka , which is 20 versts from Golovanivsk , a hundred Black Zaporozhians jumped on the enemy road, attacked it, forcing it to flee. In the evening of February 1,
1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...
year the regiment of chernoshlychniks entered the village to Vilshan Dyachenko declared a day of rest on February 2. On February 8, 1920, a regiment of Black Zaporozhians jumped on Smila, after Dyachenko, together with the Mazepyn people, occupied the Bobrynska station, where they captured 11 echelons with property. It turned out to be the quartermaster of the front. On February 13, 1920, in severe frost, the regiment of Black Zaporozhets marched through the village in a long column. Khudyaks to the
Dnipro Dnipro, previously called Dnipropetrovsk from 1926 until May 2016, is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper Rive ...
. Dyachenko together with the Cossacks moved to the left bank and began an offensive on
Zolotonosha Zolotonosha ( uk, Золотоноша , yi, זאלאטאנאשא) is a city located in Cherkasy Oblast (region) in central Ukraine. Located at around , the city serves as the administrative center of Zolotonosha Raion (district). It hosts th ...
. At 7 a.m. on February 14, the Zaporozhians already left for this county town. A wild blizzard raged. At 7 o'clock in the morning on February 15, the Cossacks saw the gray buildings of Zolotonoshi. The station was occupied by the 2nd hundred. The station guard and commandant were captured. The prisoners reported that there were two special units of up to 500 men with machine guns in the city. These were international parts. 3rd and 4th hundreds under the command of lieutenant Brojewent to the city. They flew to the middle of the city without firing a single shot. But the reds began to put up stiff resistance. They had to leave in a hurry, leaving behind even the slaughtered Cossacks. It was a shame for the black men . To repel the dead, Colonel Petro Dyachenko sent the 2nd company, the rest of the 1st company and the company named after P. Sahaidachny to help. He ordered the others to advance in infantry. The enemy was pushed beyond the Zolotonoshka River , but he strengthened himself there. Due to the lack of ammunition, the Cossacks on foot could not advance further, and the cavalry did not dare to cross the river, because the ice was extremely slippery. Having held half of the city until the evening, the Zaporizhia retreated to Dengy . On the way, they broke up the communist department. Later, the UNR Army returned to the
Right Bank In geography, a bank is the land alongside a body of water. Different structures are referred to as ''banks'' in different fields of geography, as follows. In limnology (the study of inland waters), a stream bank or river bank is the terrai ...
. The Zaporizhia crossed the Dnipro on February 18, 1920. On March 1, 1920, the regiment of Black Zaporozhets attacked Golovanivsk . 50 communists were killed, another 60 were captured. Since Petro Dyachenko did not mention their fate in his memoirs, it is not difficult to predict that they were killed. On March 4, 1920, the regiment went to Khoshchevata. Here the communists were supported by the local population. 40 Reds died as a result of an unexpected Zaporozhye attack. On March 5, 1920, the black men were already in Hayvoron . Having learned from a Galician defector that the town of Bershad was occupied by the 3rd Galician Corps, which, together with the Red Army, numbered up to 12 thousand people, they decided to carry out a risky operation. Petro Dyachenko entrusted the matter to his deputy, lieutenant Brozhe. He fulfilled the task meticulously - without spilling Ukrainian blood, he disarmed the galleys, the battery and the machine gunner without firing a single shot. In Bershad, the Black-Shlychniks captured four cannons and cartridges for them, two heavy machine guns and more than 120 horses. Captain Dyachenko lined up the captured Galicians and offered to transfer to the regiment. Only 50 riflemen agreed to become Cossacks. They were mainly gunners. The rest remained in the red camp. April 1920 came . The army of Omelyanovich-Pavlenka, which has been fighting for the fifth month in isolation from the Ukrainian government, without receiving any help from it, has reached a critical limit. Lacking cartridges and shells, on April 14, 1920, she approached the city of
Voznesensk Voznesensk ( uk, Вознесенськ, ; russian: Вознесенск) is a city in Mykolaiv Oblast (region) of Ukraine and the administrative center of Voznesensk Raion (district). It hosts the administration of the Voznesensk urban hromada ...
, where the Reds had concentrated large stocks of weapons and equipment. The battle for Voznesensk was to decide the fate of the Ukrainian army. And this city had to be taken with bayonets and sabers. Not the last role in the liberation of Voznesensk was played by units of the Black Zaporizhia. On May 6, 1920, in the Yampol region, a detachment of the Black Army met with a detachment of the 3rd Iron Division , which was advancing from the west. "The spirit of the army has risen, the mood is indescribable. Despite the terrible fatigue, the army is again ready to attack the enemy..."  - recalled UNR political officer Vasyl Sovenko. All participants of the Winter Campaign were awarded the Order of the Iron Cross . Petro Dyachenko was also awarded. And on June 23, 1920, he was promoted to the rank of colonel of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic .


Wounded near Burshtyn

In the summer of 1920, Dyachenko, at the head of his regiment, launched an attack on Burshtyn. The attack was through peatlands and hayfields, cut with ditches for water drainage. The enemy was retreating behind the haymakers. The rear guard of the Reds sat down in the ditches by the road and covered the retreat of their unit with machine gun fire. Enemy guns were also firing. Petro Dyachenko decided to use a flank attack to take over the enemy convoy, full of weapons and other military equipment, which the Zaporizhia were sorely lacking. With his saber raised, without looking back, the commander galloped on his swift-footed horse. During the attack, Petro Dyachenko was knocked off his horse, he received a serious injury - a fractured thigh bone. Cossacks carried the wounded commander from the battlefield. When he was lying under a pear tree with a broken leg, an enemy grenade hit the tree itself. Surprisingly, it did not break. Without completing a full course of treatment,


Camps for Internees

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...
, like the previous year, ended with the November catastrophe. Petro Dyachenko and his fellow black men were sent to internment camps. He did not waste time - he arranged for his horsemen to join the Polish army, and tried to improve their living conditions. He himself worked as an ordinary worker. In
1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...
-
1924 Events January * January 12 – Gopinath Saha shoots Ernest Day, whom he has mistaken for Sir Charles Tegart, the police commissioner of Calcutta, and is arrested soon after. * January 20– 30 – Kuomintang in China hol ...
 - in camps for
internment Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...
. He had two sons in Poland. Yuriy was born on July 11, 1923 , Oles on December 27,
1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
. This year, on July 20 , Petro Dyachenko, in order not to lose his military qualifications and earn money to support his family, went to the Polish Army.


Officer of the Polish Army

From
July 20 Events Pre-1600 * 70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, storms the Fortress of Antonia north of the Temple Mount. The Roman army is drawn into street fights with the Zealots. * 792 – Kardam of Bulgaria defea ...
,
1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
, he served as
a major A major (or the key of A) is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The key of A major is the only k ...
in the Polish Army. Here are his positions in this army: so-called. at. the commander of the machine gun squadron (end of 1928), the commander of the line squadron (second half of
1931 Events January * January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics. * January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa. * January 22 – Sir I ...
 ) of the 1st cavalry regiment named after Józef Pilsudski, assistant to the 1st deputy commander of the 3rd regiment of the Masovian cavalry brigade "Suwalki" (
November 1 Events Pre-1600 * 365 – The Alemanni cross the Rhine and invade Gaul. Emperor Valentinian I moves to Paris to command the army and defend the Gallic cities. * 996 – Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk, Bishop of Freising, ...
,
1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...
 —
September 30 Events Pre-1600 * 489 – The Ostrogoths under Theoderic the Great defeat the forces of Odoacer for the second time. * 737 – The Turgesh drive back an Umayyad invasion of Khuttal, follow them south of the Oxus, and capture their b ...
,
1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...
). During his service, Petro Dyachenko graduated from the Higher Military School (
October 21 Events Pre-1600 *1096 – A Seljuk Turkish army successfully fights off the People's Crusade. *1097 – First Crusade: Crusaders led by Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemund of Taranto, and Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, begin the Siege of A ...
,
1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...
 -
November 1 Events Pre-1600 * 365 – The Alemanni cross the Rhine and invade Gaul. Emperor Valentinian I moves to Paris to command the army and defend the Gallic cities. * 996 – Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk, Bishop of Freising, ...
,
1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...
). In 1936, the commander of the "Suwalka" cavalry brigade, Colonel Rudolph Kresher, gave the following assessment to the contract major of the Polish Army, Petro Dyachenko: In 1934, he graduated from the Higher Military School.


The Second Liberation Competition

The Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
found Petro Dyachenko on the Polish-Lithuanian border in Suwalki. As a contract officer of the Polish Army, Petro Dyachenko defended
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
against the Soviet troops in September
1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...
. In the battles against the
Reds Reds may refer to: General * Red (political adjective), supporters of Communism or socialism * Reds (January Uprising), a faction of the Polish insurrectionists during the January Uprising in 1863 * USSR (or, to a lesser extent, China) during th ...
over the Nieman river, he was wounded. His cavalry division fought its way to
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
, where it was interned. Later, Dyachenko ended up in a camp for Polish officers near
Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was named ...
. Soon the Germans released him, like many other Ukrainian senior officers. And Dyachenko immediately reported to Volodymyr Salskyi , the Minister of Defense of the Government of the Ukrainian People's Republic . On June 25,
1941 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar Eu ...
, the Ukrainian General Council of Combatants was created in
Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
, which mainly included senior officers of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic . Mykhailo Omelyanovych-Pavlenko headed the Council ,
Vsevolod Petriv Vsevolod Petriv ( uk, Всеволод Миколайович Петрів, January 12, 1883 – July 10, 1948) was a colonel of the Imperial Russian Army, General and Head of the Staff of the Ukrainian People's Army (or Ukrainian National Army), ...
and Alfred Kravs became his deputies . Petro Dyachenko became a member of its military-scientific and military-historical council, and on July 5, 1941, he headed the headquarters of the Ukrainian insurgent army "Polyska Sich" of Ataman
Taras Bulba-Borovets Taras Dmytrovych Borovets ( uk, Тарас Дмитрович Борове́ць; March 9, 1908 – May 15, 1981) was a Ukrainian resistance leader during World War II. He is better known as Taras Bulba-Borovets after his ''nom de guerre'' ''Tar ...
. But soon he suddenly left his post. The head of the economic department of the regional military headquarters of the UPA-North group, Roman Petrenko, claimed that Colonel Dyachenko explained to him the reasons for his resignation. In the future, Petro Dyachenko cooperated with the
OUN Oun or OUN may refer to People * Ahmed Oun (born '1946), Libyan major general * Ek Yi Oun (1910–2013), Cambodian politician * Kham-Oun I (1885–1915), Lao queen consort * Õun, an Estonian surname; notable people with this surname * Oun Kham (18 ...
 — both with the people of Melnik and with the people of
Bandera Bandera - from a Spanish word meaning a ''flag'' - may refer to: Places * Bandera County, Texas ** Bandera, Texas, its county seat ** Bandera Creek, a river in Texas, with its source near Bandera Pass ** Bandera Pass, a mountain pass in Bandera C ...
, as well as with the Germans, in particular with their Security Service . Using his official position, he supplied Ukrainian insurgents with firearms, German military documents, and placed wounded insurgents in German hospitals. From March
1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
, Petro Dyachenko ("Flower") participated in the organization of the Ukrainian Self-Defense Legion in the Kholm region (in German documents it was called the 31st SD battalion). In June of the same year, Dyachenko became the deputy commander of the Ukrainian Self-Defense Legion, its chief of staff, and in August he headed the legion. The unit numbered up to 570 soldiers, including 16 senior officers and 20 sub-senior officers. Researcher Roman Koval believes that at the head of two hundred ULS , Petro Dyachenko participated in the suppression of the Polish uprising in Warsaw and battles against Polish partisans - AK and the Boys'
Battalions A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
. On January 30,
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...
 , Colonel Petrov Dyachenko turned 50 years old. In February, he became the commander of the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the
Ukrainian Liberation Army german: Ukrainische Befreiungsarmee , image = Ukrainian Liberation Army (УВВ).jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Ukrainian Liberation Army oath to Adolf Hitler , dates = 10 February 1943 – 15 April 1945 , disbanded = , country = Rei ...
as part of the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
. At the end of February
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...
 , with the permission and assistance of the Germans, he began to form a separate Ukrainian anti-tank brigade "Free Ukraine" . Its basis was made up of senior officers of the UNR Army , former Red Army soldiers and Ukrainians from the auxiliary anti-aircraft and fire-fighting units of
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
. Petro Dyachenko personally staffed the team. On March 28,
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...
 , the soldiers of the brigade swore allegiance to Ukraine. The oath contained the following words: In April
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...
 , the German command included the "Free Ukraine" brigade in the "Herman Goering" tank corps of the "Center" army group. Petro Dyachenko, at the head of a brigade, had to participate in the battles near
Bautzen Bautzen () or Budyšin () is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and the administrative centre of the district of Bautzen. It is located on the Spree river. In 2018 the town's population was 39,087. Until 1868, its German name was ''Budis ...
(
Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...
district ) - against units of the 1st Belorussian Front and the 2nd Army of the Polish Army. Soon, Dyachenko's brigade was thrown into the capture of Goerlitz-Lobau. SS Standardenführer
Otto Skorzeny Otto Johann Anton Skorzeny (12 June 1908 – 5 July 1975) was an Austrian-born German SS-''Obersturmbannführer'' (lieutenant colonel) in the Waffen-SS during World War II. During the war, he was involved in a number of operations, including th ...
was in overall command . At the end of April, in fierce battles , the "Free Ukraine" brigade captured 300 Red Army soldiers , among the trophies were four cannons, 5 regimental mortars, more than 400 horses, 20 machine guns, and a lot of military property. The 19th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Division of the Polish Army was also defeated by the Dyachenkov people , taking the division commander, General Lilevskyi, prisoner. Ukrainians were also among the prisoners, 50 of them joined the brigade on the same day. At the most critical moment of the battle, when the Poles launched a decisive offensive, Petro Dyachenko himself led the counterattack of the Ukrainians. This decided the fate of the battle in favor of the Ukrainian brigade. On the same day, Lieutenant General of the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
Wilhelm Schmalz, commander of the German Goering Parachute Tank Corps, personally awarded Petro Dyachenko with the
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...
(thus, Dyachenko became a knight of two Iron Crosses — of the UNR Army for the Winter Campaign and of the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
for the Battle of
Bautzen Bautzen () or Budyšin () is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and the administrative centre of the district of Bautzen. It is located on the Spree river. In 2018 the town's population was 39,087. Until 1868, its German name was ''Budis ...
). The success of the Ukrainian brigade was mentioned in a special message. At the end of the war, Petro Dyachenko was appointed commander of the 2nd Ukrainian Division of the
UNA Una and UNA may refer to: Places * 160 Una, the asteroid "Una", an asteroid named after the Faerie Queene character * Una River (disambiguation), numerous rivers * Una, Himachal Pradesh, a town in India ** Una, Himachal Pradesh Assembly constit ...
(the total number of its soldiers reached seven thousand). On May 7,
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...
, in the area of ​​the city of Tetchen, near the bridge on the Elbe, UNA commander
Pavlo Shandruk Pavlo Feofanovich Shandruk ( uk, Павло Шандрук, pl, Pawło Szandruk, February 28, 1889 in Volhynia – February 15, 1979 in Trenton, New Jersey) was a general in the army of the Ukrainian National Republic, a colonel of the Pol ...
promoted Petro Dyachenko to the rank of lieutenant general. And the very next day, Dyachenko's brigade was surrounded. Its soldiers had to go over 200 km through territories where the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
was already operating . Less than a third of the soldiers of the "Free Ukraine" brigade got into the American zone, the rest died or were captured by the Red Army. And several dozen hid in the forests of the Sudetenland foothills. Later, they reached Olesnytsky District, established contact with the network OUN(b) , which operated in
Lower Silesia Lower Silesia ( pl, Dolny Śląsk; cz, Dolní Slezsko; german: Niederschlesien; szl, Dolny Ślōnsk; hsb, Delnja Šleska; dsb, Dolna Šlazyńska; Silesian German: ''Niederschläsing''; la, Silesia Inferior) is the northwestern part of the ...
(it was headed by Roman Koza-"Bogun"), fighting against the Reds until the early
1950s The 1950s (pronounced nineteen-fifties; commonly abbreviated as the "Fifties" or the " '50s") (among other variants) was a decade that began on January 1, 1950, and ended on December 31, 1959. Throughout the decade, the world continued its re ...
. Petro Dyachenko's military career ended in May 1945. In order not to fall into the hands of those against whom he fought while defending the
Ukrainian People's Republic The Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR), or Ukrainian National Republic (UNR), was a country in Eastern Europe that existed between 1917 and 1920. It was declared following the February Revolution in Russia by the First Universal. In March 1 ...
, he was forced to surrender to the Americans. Petro Dyachenko served in various armies for 25 years, thirteen of them on the fronts of various wars. He served in the
tsarist Tsarist autocracy (russian: царское самодержавие, transcr. ''tsarskoye samoderzhaviye''), also called Tsarism, was a form of autocracy (later absolute monarchy) specific to the Grand Duchy of Moscow and its successor states ...
, Russian army of the Provisional Government, the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian State of Pavel Skoropadskyi, in the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic , in the Polish Army , in the UPA "Poliska Sich" of Ataman Bulba-Borovets, the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
and the Ukrainian National Army .


On emigration

After the war, Petro Dyachenko lived for some time in
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
. He consulted representatives of American military intelligence who studied the real forces of the Liberation Movement in
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
. Later, together with his new wife Elena and her son Petro, General Dyachenko moved to the
USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and settled in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. After leaving for the USA, the old soldier's life was closed in the narrow circle of family life, he devoted a lot of time to his son and wife Elena. He was engaged in the cultivation of flowers, in particular he loved roses, he was fond of photography and started writing memoirs. In 2010, the magazine "America" published his memoirs "Black Zaporozhets" - about the fate of the regiment of black soldiers in 1919-1920. He himself, having survived two wars and the loss of both sons, was silent, wrote little and sparingly about himself. Since Petro Dyachenko did not directly command the Second Brigade, which was half of the Second Division, in his memoirs he writes only about the First Brigade he led. On February 1,
1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 ...
, the government-in- exile of the Ukrainian People's Republic granted Dyachenko the rank of lieutenant general, noting in the order to consider him lieutenant general from
October 15 Events Pre-1600 *1066 – Following the death of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, Edgar the Ætheling is proclaimed King of England by the Witan; he is never crowned, and concedes power to William the Conqueror two months later. * 1211 ...
,
1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
. The last rank of Petro Dyachenko was lieutenant general of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic . He died on April 23,
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
. He is buried at St. Andrew's Ukrainian
Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...
Cemetery in
South Bound Brook South Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,563,New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. Metropolitan Ioan and Archbishop Mstislav took part in the funeral. Colonel-General
Pavlo Shandruk Pavlo Feofanovich Shandruk ( uk, Павло Шандрук, pl, Pawło Szandruk, February 28, 1889 in Volhynia – February 15, 1979 in Trenton, New Jersey) was a general in the army of the Ukrainian National Republic, a colonel of the Pol ...
from the troops of the Army of the People's Republic of Ukraine and the Ukrainian National Army saw off their friend on his last journey. In the spring of
1918 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...
, together with Petro Dyachenko, as part of the Crimean group of Petro Bolbochan, they liberated the
Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
from the Bolsheviks . On behalf of the Knights of the Order of the Iron Cross, the senior officer of the regiment spoke Black Zaporozhians, at that time already the general-corporal Volodymyr Gerasymenko. The speeches were made by the corporal general of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic of Ukraine Arkady Valiysky and other soldiers, including Valentyn Simyantsiv, a famous Ukrainian sculptor, a Cossack of the 3rd hundred of the Black Zaporozhian regiment .


Archive of the General

Petro Dyachenko's wife Olena carefully organized her husband's memoir legacy. In the magazine "Visti kombatanta" (part 3 for 1967), she published a list of works that were kept in the family. From this publication you can learn that Petro Dyachenko wrote the following works: * "Organization of an anti-tank brigade" (with diagrams); * "Horse regiment of the Black Zaporozhets" (manuscript - 74 pages of typescript; manuscript - 97 pages of typescript); * "Anti-tank brigade "Free Ukraine" (4 sheets - 8 handwritten pages); * "Notes to the History of the Black Zaporozhian Regiment" (4 sheets — 8 handwritten pages); * "Horse Hundred" (a small handwritten school notebook); * "Cavalry Hundred, Cavalry Division named after Colonel Pyotr Bolbochan" (notebook with number 2); * "Horse Regiment" (notebook with the number 3); * "Formation and first battle of the Ukrainian Anti-Tank Brigade" (three sheets written in ink and three sheets written in pencil); * "Petro Dyachenko, colonel of the Ukrainian Army" (10 sheets and two pages, handwritten); * "Winter Campaign" (abstract delivered on the anniversary of the Winter Campaign of the UNR Army) and other articles. In addition to manuscripts, there were also: a folder with personal documents, a folder with photographs, clippings from Polish communist newspapers about Petro Dyachenko and correspondence (letters from generals
Pavlo Shandruk Pavlo Feofanovich Shandruk ( uk, Павло Шандрук, pl, Pawło Szandruk, February 28, 1889 in Volhynia – February 15, 1979 in Trenton, New Jersey) was a general in the army of the Ukrainian National Republic, a colonel of the Pol ...
, Pyotr Samutyn , Mykhailo Sadovskyi , Dmytro Zhupinas, colonels Mykola Rybachuk, I. Lypovetskyi, N Shkilny , P. Kalinovsky, Makar Kaplysty , brother Viktor Dyachenko, centurions Zenon Stefanov and Gonta (apparently Ivan Lyuty-Lyutenko ), sub-chiefs and Cossacks of the Black Zaporozhian regiment Petro Pervukhin, Serhiy Hnyda, Valentin Simyantsiv and others. Mrs. Olena Dyachenko appealed to everyone who has letters from Petro Dyachenko to put them in the general archive, which will be transferred to the relevant institution after the final arrangement.


Family

He was married twice. From his first marriage, he had two sons, Yuriy (born on July 11, 1923) and Olesya (born on December 27, 1928), who died in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, and in his second marriage with his wife Elena, they raised a son, Peter (a sergeant in the American Air Force , a participant in the Vietnam War ). His brother is Viktor Gavrylovich Dyachenko, he served in the
Russian Imperial Army The Imperial Russian Army (russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, tr. ) was the armed land force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian Ar ...
, the Soviet Socialist Republic, the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic, the Polish Sich, and the Ukrainian National Army. Dyachenko's nephew was the writer and literary critic Leonid Ivanovich Sukachev. Dyachenko's grandson, named after the General, ran for US Congress in 1978 for the seventh Congressional District seat in Pennsylvania.


Commemoration

Petro Dyachenko's grave at St Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery, South Bound Brook, New Jersey, USA * On October 12, 1968, a solemn consecration of a monument took place at the St Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery - a bust of Petro Dyachenko, where he is depicted in a Cossack cap with a plume. Ukrainian veterans were present at the event. Archbishop Mstislav performed the consecration ceremony . The choir performed under the direction of Professor I. Palivoda . The sculptor is Valentyn Simyantsiv, a Cossack of the 3rd hundred of the Black Zaporozhian regiment. Valentyn Simyantsiv recalled that pointing to the monument, Bishop Mstislav said that the community can do a lot when there are people in it who will devote time and work to public affairs. Vladyka reminded that on the conscience of the former soldiers lies an unfulfilled duty to the glorious memory of the soldiers buried in this cemetery, on whose graves today only temporary wooden crosses stand. After sending home, Mrs. Olena Dyachenko and her son Petro invited those present to a feast. And at the table, Archbishop Mstislav developed an opinion about "the duty of the military and the community to take care of the graves of former soldiers and called on those present to make donations for this noble goal . " Museum of liberation struggles 1917-1921 in Berezova Luka * A commemorative sign was erected in his honor in his native village, Berezova Luka , and there is also a museum of liberation struggles 1917-1921, dedicated to Petro Dyachenko. * Petro Dyachenko Street is in the city of
Voznesensk Voznesensk ( uk, Вознесенськ, ; russian: Вознесенск) is a city in Mykolaiv Oblast (region) of Ukraine and the administrative center of Voznesensk Raion (district). It hosts the administration of the Voznesensk urban hromada ...
. Petro Dyachenko took part in the legendary
Battle of Voznesensk The battles of Voznesensk were a series of military engagements between Russia and Ukraine that occurred as part of the southern Ukraine campaign during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine in early March 2022. After capturing the city of Khe ...
, during which he liberated the city from the invaders. * On July 28, 2022, part of Levanevsky Street in the city of
Bila Tserkva Bila Tserkva ( uk, Бі́ла Це́рква ; ) is a city in the center of Ukraine, the largest city in Kyiv Oblast (after Kyiv, which is the administrative center, but not part of the oblast), and part of the Right Bank. It serves as the admi ...
was renamed Petro Dyachenko Street.


Sources

* Serhiy Kovalenko. Black Zaporizhia: history of the regiment. 2nd edition. — Kyiv: Styx Publishing House , 2015. — 368 p. * Taras Bulba-Borovets . "Army without a state", "Volyn", Winnipeg, 1981, Canada * Volodymyr Bilyaev. "On the boundless wing..." - Donetsk: Eastern Publishing House, 2003. - 348 p. * Ivan Burtyk . The Thorny Path of the 2nd UNA Division, New York, 1991 Archived_March_16,_2022_at_the_Wayback_Machine_..html" ;"title="Wayback_Machine.html" ;"title="Archived March 16, 2022 at the Wayback Machine">Archived March 16, 2022 at the Wayback Machine .">Wayback_Machine.html" ;"title="Archived March 16, 2022 at the Wayback Machine">Archived March 16, 2022 at the Wayback Machine ./small> * Yurii Gorlis-Gorskyi . Cold ravine. [ Archived June 4, 2013 at the Wayback Machine .] * Roman Koval . Petro Dyachenko, Chieftain of the Black Zaporozhians. [ Archived July 20, 2008 at the Wayback Machine .] * Alexander Panchenko. General Petro Dyachenko is a fighting eagle of the Ukrainian army Archived_October_3,_2013_at_the_Wayback_Machine_..html" ;"title="Wayback_Machine.html" ;"title="Archived October 3, 2013 at the Wayback Machine">Archived October 3, 2013 at the Wayback Machine .">Wayback_Machine.html" ;"title="Archived October 3, 2013 at the Wayback Machine">Archived October 3, 2013 at the Wayback Machine ./small> * Who was and is in the city of Gadyach [ Archived May 18, 2017 at the Wayback Machine .] * Tynchenko Ya. Yu. Officer Corps of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic (1917—1921). Book I. — Київ, K  .:
Tempora Tempora is the codeword for a formerly-secret computer system that is used by the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). This system is used to buffer most Internet communications that are extracted from fibre-optic cables, so t ...
, 2007. — Спеціальна:Джерела книг/9668201264, ISBN 966-8201-26-4 . * Tynchenko Ya. Yu. Officer Corps of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic (1917—1921). Book II . — K. _ :
Tempora Tempora is the codeword for a formerly-secret computer system that is used by the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). This system is used to buffer most Internet communications that are extracted from fibre-optic cables, so t ...
, 2011. — 355 p. — ISBN 978-617-569-041-3 .


References


External links


Petro Dyachenko
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dyachenko, Petro 1895 births 1965 deaths People from Poltava Oblast People from Mirgorodsky Uyezd Ukrainian generals Russian military personnel of World War I Ukrainian people of World War I Polish military personnel of World War II Ukrainian collaborators with Nazi Germany Polish emigrants to the United States American people of Ukrainian descent Recipients of the Cross of St. George Recipients of the Iron Cross (1939), 2nd class