Ukrainian nationalist Ivan Vovchuk's story must be brought to light - opinion

• Published date: 09 April 2024
• Author: BORYS LOZHKIN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

There is no more profound symbol to counteract this false portrayal than the recent completion of the Torah scroll of solidarity between Ukraine and Israel, with letters inscribed by their presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Isaac Herzog. This scroll will be a motivating force for the Ukrainian and Jewish communities to unify, closer than ever, to counter the old Soviet playbook and ensure that freedom prevails. But more must be done

Putin has repeatedly pushed forward the abhorrently false narrative that Ukraine must be "denazified," declaring that Ukraine is a Nazi state led by neo-Nazi aligned Ukrainian nationalists, thereby justifying his unprovoked and unwarranted war. These claims are not new.

For decades, Russian authorities, formerly Soviet, have called the Ukrainian nationalist movement a Nazi movement in an effort to discredit Ukrainians who want to live in a free and democratic Ukraine. They have focused their energy on the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, a political party that was established in 1929, dedicated to the establishment of an independent Ukrainian state.

The OUN played a central role in the establishment of a Ukrainian state and continues to play an increasingly crucial role in Ukrainian society today.

During World War Two, there were instances of Ukrainian nationalists partnering in crimes against Jews. But these acts were rare exceptions and absolutely not official policy or a reflection of OUN's position. Much of the "reporting" today on the party's purported crimes during the Holocaust stems from KGB propaganda aimed at discrediting Ukrainian nationalists.

In fact, there were many instances of Ukrainian nationalist leaders risking their lives to save Jews from the Nazis in Ukraine. And now, as Putin's Russian propaganda proliferates globally with supporters like Tucker Carlson doing his bidding, it is more important than ever for the Ukrainian and Jewish communities to come together to highlight their own stories, and push back against Russian myths about Ukrainians and Ukrainian Nationalists.

Ivan Vovchuk's story must be brought to the public's attention

It is the stories of these individuals that must be brought to the public's attention. They embody the democratic and indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people who are fighting for their freedom today. And they underscore the need to strengthen Ukrainian-Jewish relations, and to not let Putin undermine them.

One of these Ukrainians was Ivan Vovchuk.

VOVCHUK, a native of...