Ukrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian National Self Defence

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Ukrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian National Self Defence
Українська Національна Асамблея – Українська Національна Самооборона
Leader Yurii Tyma[1]
Founded 3/4, November 1990
Headquarters Kiev
Political Ideology nationalism
Political Position right-wing
International Affiliation none
Colours Red & Black
Website [1]
See also Politics of Ukraine

Political parties
Elections in Ukraine
Ukraine

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The UNA-UNSO (Ukrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian National Self Defence) (Ukrainian: УНА УНСО, Українська Національна Асамблея – Українська Національна Самооборона), is the most prominent (with 8,000 members[2]) far-right, ultra-nationalist political organization in Ukraine. International security expert Andrew Mcgregor has stated that the UNA-UNSO " might be best characterized as an influential fringe movement", and that "its high visibility belies its limited numbers"

Contents

[edit] History

Ukrainian National Assembly (UNA) was created on June 30, 1990 in Lviv as a group of radical nationalist youth striving for an independent Ukraine. It was led by a maverick politician and nationalist writer Dmytro Korchynskyy. In 1991 and 1992 members of UNA provoked a number of street fights with Russian nationalists in Kiev and Crimea. At the same time a Ukrainian National Self Defence (UNSO) - paramilitary wing of the organization was created around a small group of ethnically Ukrainian Soviet army veterans who fought in Afghanistan. In a War of Transnistria members of UNA-UNSO fought on the side of Transnistrian separatists against Moldovan forces. This was justified as a defence of large ethnic Ukrainian minority in Transnistria. In 1993 UNA-UNSO sent volunteers to participate in Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. UNA-UNSO fighters formed a unit called "Argo" and joined Georgian side against Russian-backed Abkhaz forces.

Between 1993 and 1994 Ukrainian National Assembly organized groups throughout Ukraine, even in traditionally less nationalist Russian-speaking Donbas region. Ukrainian government started to fear the spread of extreme ideology of UNA-UNSO. Party headquarters as well as homes of most prominent activists were routinely raided by the police. At the same time UNA-UNSO was involved in shady dealings with Ukrainian organized crime. Several high-ranking UNA-UNSO members were victims of organized crime related murders.[citation needed]

UNA-UNSO members parade through the streets of Lviv
UNA-UNSO members parade through the streets of Lviv

Despite this during Ukrainian parliamentary election in 1994 three UNA-UNSO members were elected as deputies of Verkhovna Rada.

Between 1994 and 1997 UNA-UNSO members gained prominence in Ukraine through a number of anti-Russian actions. UNA-UNSO deputies destroyed a Russian flag in Ukrainian parliament, UNA-UNSO fighters joined the Chechen rebels in First Chechen War and fought against the Russian army, its activists organized street protests against Russian pop-stars visiting Ukraine. UNA-UNSO took sides in Ukrainian church affairs and in July 1995 clashed with police during the funeral of Patriarch Volodomyr (Romaniuk), head of Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate. UNA-UNSO supported Patriarch Filaret (Mykhailo Denysenko) excommunicated by the Russian Orthodox Church, and participated in violent attempts to capture church property for the new church, notably in Rivne and Volyn oblasts. Membership of the organization peaked at around 10 000 members, who were mostly young Ukrainians. About 90 % of its members were between 18 and 35 years old. Ideology of the organization combine radical Ukrainian nationalism, anti-Semitism, support for an authoritarian form of government and "national-oriented" economy.

UNA – UNSO and National Democratic Party of Germany during a meeting in Kiev, June 2000
UNA – UNSO and National Democratic Party of Germany during a meeting in Kiev, June 2000[3]

In 1997 government of Leonid Kuchma banned the Ukrainian National Assembly — Ukrainian National Self Defence. Members of UNA-UNSO responded with a number of violent street protests, resulted in over 250 arrests. Dmytro Korchynskyy himself was arrested and soon after left the ranks of UNA-UNSO.

In 1998 UNA-UNSO re-appeared as a more moderate strictly nationalist rather than a neo-Nazi organization[citation needed]. New leaders of the organizations became Andriy Shkil and Yuriy Shukhevych, son of prominent Ukrainian nationalist Roman Shukhevych.

UNA-UNSO participated in Ukrainian parliamentary election of 1998 but manage to get only 0.39 % of the votes.

The party used to maintain a close relationship with the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party of Germany. Although it has was in the past widely considered to have employed neo-Fascist and neo-Nazi methods and ideologies[4][5][6]. Currently only the former leader of the party Edward Kovalenko seems to have ties with the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party of Germany[7].

In 2000 and 2001 members of Ukrainian National Assembly — Ukrainian National Self Defense actively participated in Ukraine without Kuchma mass protest campaign. During Orange Revolution UNA-UNSO members supported Viktor Yushchenko against his pro-Russian opponents. UNA-UNSO members provided security for the supporters of Viktor Yushchenko, and prominent leaders of the Orange camp such as Yulia Tymoshenko on Independence Square in Kiev. Recently they have closely cooperated with the All-Ukrainian Union Fatherland party.

The organization is currently exhibiting no signs of racism or anti-Semitism[8].

in 2003 Andriy Shkil left the party[9] and has become a close aide to the country's PM Yuliya Tymoshenko[10][11].

UNA-UNSO has an anthem, which is called 'Stay, my love, don't cry, honey'. It is a remake of the Bella Ciao song. You may find its lyrics and the link to it there.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ UNA-UNSO Official party web page
  2. ^ Radical Ukrainian Nationalism and the War in Chechnya, The Jamestown Foundation, March 30, 2006.
  3. ^ Una-Unso
  4. ^ Global Research, December 17, 2004.
  5. ^ Adam Zwass, From Failed Communism to Underdeveloped Capitalism, M.E. Sharpe:2001, p117.
  6. ^ Walter Laqueur, Fascism: Past, Present, Future, Oxford University Press, 2001.
  7. ^ UNA-UNSO :: Articles
  8. ^ UNA-UNSO Official party web page
  9. ^ UNA-UNSO :: Articles
  10. ^ Yulia Tymoshenko’s orbits / Ukrayinska Pravda
  11. ^ The Makeup of the New Verkhovna Rada / Ukrayinska Pravda

[edit] External links