Истребительные батальоны НКВД в западных республиках СССР

What is it about?

World War II (1941-945) remains one of the key events of the 20th century. Despite the fact that many works are devoted to this topic, many themes are still unexplored. The article is aimed to describe the methods of formation, recruitment and use of the NKVD fighter battalions - irregular formations created in the Soviet Union in the initial period of the war._x000D_ _x000D_ Geographically, the article is limited to the territories of Western Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic republics. After they were freed from the occupation, there was a strong rationalist underground in these regions, including those that the destroyer battalions were created to suppress._x000D_ _x000D_ Despite serious structural shortcomings, including those associated with a low level of training of personnel, poor provision and sometimes incompetent leadership, they were an important element used by the NKVD to "re-Sovietize" the western republics of the country._x000D_ _x000D_ The main questions that are posed in the article concern the methods of application, ways for creating fighter units and the limits of their effectiveness. The research focus of the article is also directed to the social history of the destroyer battalions, including how they were recruited, what was the motivation of the people entering these units, how the latter were perceived by the local population and the rebels.

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