- December 7, 2025
- 9:37 pm
- Ukraine
He was the vice-president of the Ukrainian Supreme Liberation Council (UHVR, chairman Roman Shukhevych), deputy Stepan Bandera in the OUN and at the same time he is a “Righteous Among the Nations”.
Fedor Vovk (in emigration – Ivan Vovchuk), together with his wife Yelizaveta Shkandel, saved many Jews in Nazi-occupied Nikopol, says in The Jerusalem Post Boris Lozhkin, President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine.
Vovk’s case among Ukrainian nationalists is not unique. Many members of the OUN during the Holocaust risked their lives to shelter Jews and forged documents, turning them into Ukrainians.
On July 12, 1998, Yad Vashem awarded Fedor Vovk and his wife Yelizaveta Shkandel the honorary title of “Righteous Among the Nations”. https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/pdf-drupal/ukraine.pdf (Vovk, Feodor & Shkandel, Yelizaveta, p. 39)
The detailed life story of Ivan Vovchuk, one of the leaders of the OUN and a Righteous, can soon be read in the book Oleg Protsenko “National Tribune. Life and Ideas of Ivan Vovchuk”. With the support of the Vovk Foundation, it is now being prepared for publication by the “Fronesis” publishing house. Many facts presented in the book will be published for the first time.
The nationalist-Righteous should be known by as many people as possible, not only in Ukraine but also abroad. This will help destroy the myth of Ukrainians as anti-Semites and further strengthen relations between Ukrainians and Jews.
“The leaders of Ukrainian nationalists embody the democratic and indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people, who are fighting for their freedom today.”
“More than two years after Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainians are still fighting bravely.
Two years later, Russian President Putin is still spreading unfounded propaganda that my country, a country with a Jewish president and a thriving Jewish community, is a ‘Nazi state’.
There is no deeper symbol to counter this false portrayal than the recent completion of the Torah Scroll of Solidarity between Ukraine and Israel, with letters written by their presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Isaac Herzog. This scroll will become a motivating force for the Ukrainian and Jewish communities to unite, become closer than ever, to confront the old Soviet script and ensure the victory of freedom. But more needs to be done.
Putin has repeatedly promoted the absurdly false narrative that Ukraine needs to be “denazified,” claiming that Ukraine is a Nazi state led by Ukrainian nationalists aligned along neo-Nazi lines, thus justifying his unrestrained and unfounded war.
These claims are not new.
For decades, Russian authorities, formerly Soviet, have called the Ukrainian nationalist movement Nazi in an attempt to discredit Ukrainians who want to live in a free and democratic Ukraine.
They focused their efforts on the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, a political party founded in 1929 dedicated to creating an independent Ukrainian state. The OUN played a key role in the creation of the Ukrainian state and continues to play an increasingly important role in Ukrainian society today.
During World War II, there were instances of Ukrainian nationalists collaborating in crimes against Jews.
But these acts were rare and absolutely not official policy or a reflection of the OUN’s position.
Much of today’s “reporting” on the party’s alleged crimes during the Holocaust comes from KGB propaganda aimed at discrediting Ukrainian nationalists.
In fact, there were many instances where leaders of Ukrainian nationalists risked their lives to save Jews from the Nazis in Ukraine. And now, as Putin’s Russian propaganda spreads worldwide with the support of supporters like Tucker Carlson, it is most important for the Ukrainian and Jewish communities to unite to highlight their own stories and counter Russian myths about Ukrainians and Ukrainian nationalists.
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The story of Ivan Vovchuk should be brought to public attention
The stories of these people should be brought to public attention. They embody the democratic and unwavering spirit of the Ukrainian people, who are fighting for their freedom today. And they emphasize the need to strengthen Ukrainian-Jewish relations and not allow Putin to resolve them.
One such Ukrainian was Ivan Vovchuk.
Vovchuk, a native of Nikopol and a leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, used his position to save Jewish families, including Sarah Bakst and her children, from Nazi terror.
His actions and those of his brave wife, Yelizaveta Shkandel, are poignant reminders of the shared history and mutual support between the Ukrainian and Jewish communities, refuting the vile narrative propagated by the Kremlin.
“Vovk” was recognized by Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, as a Righteous Among the Nations for his heroism.
His story is a beacon of humanity and courage, standing against the senseless Russian propaganda seeking to portray Ukraine as an anti-Semitic, Nazi state.
The current Russian propaganda campaign is not only historically inaccurate but also deeply offensive. It is an insult to the memory of the Holocaust victims and the courage of people like Vovk, who stood against real anti-Semitism and Nazism. And it is an insult to the modern Jewish community in Ukraine.
Unfortunately, this narrative has resonated with only a small part of American and European society.
“That’s why I am working with the Vovk Foundation on a new book that will detail the story of Ivan Vovchuk to debunk the fabricated lies spread by Putin and his opponents in the Western world.”
This book, using a range of unpublished primary sources and documents, will counter Putin’s condemnations of Ukrainians and Ukrainian nationalists like Ivan Vovchuk and bring the Ukrainian and Jewish communities closer together as the Russian war machine deliberately tries to create a chasm between them.
“The importance of uniting the Ukrainian and Jewish communities in the fight against aggression cannot be overstated. This alliance is a testament to our shared pursuit of justice and mutual respect. Our unity is a powerful force against the disinformation and hatred spread by our opponents.”
The struggle we are waging today is not only Ukraine’s struggle; it is a battle for the very soul of Europe and the principles of freedom and humanity that are essential for the entire world. Just as Vovk and others like him rose to the challenge of their time, we too must stand firm against the distortion of history and the malevolent intentions of Russian aggression.
“The international community, especially the West, must continue to support Ukraine, ensuring that the sacrifices made are recognized and that aspirations for a peaceful and just future are realized.”
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