Volyn Oblast

History

Volyn was once part of the Kievan Rus' before becoming an independent local principality and an integral part of the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, one of Kievan Rus' successor states. In the 15th century, the area came under the control of the neighbouring Grand Duchy of Lithuania, in 1569 passing over to Poland and then in 1795, until World War I, to the Russian Empire where it was a part of the Volynskaya Guberniya. In the interwar period, most of the territory, organized as Wołyń Voivodeship was under Polish control.

In 1939, when Poland was invaded and divided by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union following the Molotov–Ribbentrop pact, Volyn was joined to Soviet Ukraine, and on December 4, 1939, the oblast was organized.

Many Ukrainians rejoiced at the "reunification", but the Polish minority suffered a cruel fate. Thousands of Poles, especially retired Polish officers and intelligentsia were deported to Siberia and other areas in the depths of the Soviet Union. A high proportion of these deportees died in the extreme conditions of Soviet labour camps and most were never able to return to Volyn again.

In 1941, Volyn along with the Soviet Union was invaded by the Nazi Germany's Barbarossa Offensive. Nazis completed their holocaust of the Jews of Volhynia in late 1942.

Partisan activity started in Volyn in 1941, soon after German occupation. Partisans were involved in the Rail War against German supply lines and were known for their efficiency in gathering intelligence and for sabotage. The region formed the basis of several networks and many members of the local population served with the partisans. The Poles in the area became part of the Polish Home Army, which often undertook operations with the partisan movement.

UPA initially supported Nazi Germany which had in turn supported them with financing and weaponry before the start of World War II. Many served in the various RONA and SS units. Once they became disillusioned with the Nazi program, they independently began to target all non-Ukrainians (Poles, Jews, Russians, among others) for extermination. Some 30,000 to 60,000 Poles, Czechs, remaining Jews, and Ukrainians who tried to help others escape (Polish sources gave even higher figures) and later, around 2,000 or more Ukrainians were killed in retaliation (see Massacres of Poles in Volhynia).

In January 1944, the Red Army recaptured the territory from the Nazis.

In the immediate aftermath of World War II, the Polish Soviet border was redrawn based on the Curzon line. Volyn, along with the neighbouring provinces became an integral part of the Ukrainian SSR. Most Poles who remained in the eastern region were forced to leave to the Recovered Territories of western Poland (the former easternmost provinces of Germany) whose German population had been expelled in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement.

The area underwent rapid industrialisation including the construction of the Lutsk automobile factory (LuAZ). Nevertheless, the area remains one of the most rural throughout the former Soviet Union.

Demography

According to the 2001 Ukrainian census, ethnic Ukrainians accounted for 96.9% of the population of Volyn Oblast, and ethnic Russians for 2.4%.

Language

The Russification of Ukraine carried out during the Soviet era had little to no effect on the Volyn Oblast: the share of Ukrainian-speakers in the region in 1959—1989 fluctuated around 94—95%. Native language of the population of Volyn Oblast according to the results of population censuses:

Native language of the population of the raions, cities, and city councils of Volyn Oblast according to the 2001 Ukrainian census:

Ukrainian is the only official language on the whole territory of Volyn Oblast.

On 20 December 2018, a moratorium on the public use of Russian-language cultural products was imposed in Volyn Oblast by a decision of the Volyn Oblast Council.

According to a poll conducted by Rating from 16 November to 10 December 2018 as part of the project «Portraits of Regions», 85% of the residents of Volyn Oblast believed that the Ukrainian language should be the only state language on the entire territory of Ukraine. 10% believed that Ukrainian should be the only state language, while Russian should be the second official language in some regions of the country. 3% believed that Russian should become the second state language of the country. 2% found it difficult to answer.

On 13 July 2023, Volyn Oblast Council approved the «Comprehensive Programme for the Development and Functioning of the Ukrainian Language in Volyn Oblast for 2023—2026», the main objectives of which are to strengthen the positions of the Ukrainian language in various spheres of public life in the oblast and to Ukrainianize the refugees from other regions of Ukraine.

According to the research of the Content Analysis Centre, conducted from 15 August to 15 September 2024, the topic of which was the ratio of Ukrainian and Russian languages in the Ukrainian segment of social media, 89.5% of posts from Volyn Oblast were written in Ukrainian (88.3% in 2023, 88.8% in 2022, 51.3% in 2020), while 10.5% were written in Russian (11.7% in 2023, 11.2% in 2022, 48.7% in 2020).

After Ukraine declared independence in 1991, Volyn Oblast, as well as Ukraine as a whole, experienced a gradual Ukrainization of the education system, which had been Russified during the Soviet era. Dynamics of the ratio of the languages of instruction in general secondary education institutions in Volyn Oblast:

According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, in the 2023—2024 school year, all 140,494 pupils in general secondary education institutions in Volyn Oblast were studying in classes where Ukrainian was the language of instruction.

Historical sites

The following historical-cultural sites were nominated in 2007 for the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.

• Upper Castle
• Volodymyr historical-cultural complex
• Villa-museum of Lesia Ukrainka

Relics

• Painting of the Kholm's Virgin Mary

Politics

;Former Chairmen of Oblast Council

• 2006 – Vasyl Dmytruk Lytvyn's Bloc
• 2006 – Anatoliy Hrytsiuk

Subdivisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Volyn Oblast

Notable people

• Oleh Skvira (born 2000), Ukrainian professional football player
• Vitaliy Kvartsyanyi (born 1953), Ukrainian football manager and former player
• Lesya Ukrainka (born February 25, 1871), Ukrainian poet and playwright

Gallery

File:Lutsk castle tower.jpg|Lutsk Castle File:Olyka castle 1.jpg|Olyka Castle File:Monastery in Zimnee (Ukraine).jpg|Zymne Monastery File:Church of the Holy Trinity in Lyuboml from west side.JPG|Church of the Holy Trinity in Liuboml File:Успенський собор 2.jpg|Dormition Monastery in Volodymyr File:Stary czartorysk kosciol.JPG|Dominican Church in Staryi Chortoryisk Монастир домініканів (Луцьк) P1070889.jpg|Dominican Monastery in Lutsk Ковель - Житловий будинок -1.jpg|Former pharmacy in Kovel File:Човен та Світязь.jpg|Lake Svitiaz File:Стохід з висоти.jpg|Aerial view of the Stokhid River

References

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