Ukrainian Government Says UIA Was Fighting for Ukraine's Independence

The government of Ukraine has prepared a draft law acknowledging that the members of Ukrainian Insurrection Army (UIA), which fought against the Soviet Army during WW2, were fighting for the independence of Ukraine. According to Ukrainian government's press service, the activities of the UIA and its ideologists, The Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) were purposely studied by a special governmental commission that concluded that those who had fought under the nationalist leaders Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevich until mid-1950s had done so in the interests of independent and united Ukraine.

The drafted law was prepared after the authorities of the city of Lvov had written to Leonid Kuchma, Ukraine's President, to the effect that the residents of Lvov wanted the members of OUN to be acknowledged as the pride of the nation. The draft law will be discussed in the parliament soon.