Stepan Bandera

Stepan Bandera (1909–1959) – Leader of the OUN

Actions:
- Led violent resistance against the Polish occupation and was subsequently imprisoned.
- Released during the joint German–Soviet invasion of Poland.
- Collaborated with Nazi Germany during their invasion of the Soviet Union.
- Proclaimed a Ukrainian republic in Lviv and resisted German pressure to retract it, resulting in his imprisonment in a concentration camp.
- His organization carried out numerous crimes against Poles during the war.
- Lived in exile in West Germany after the war and was assassinated by a KGB agent.
Significance:
- Demonstrates the extreme measures some pursued for Ukrainian independence.
- Remains highly controversial in Ukraine and a source of tension with Poland.
Successor and Legacy:
- The Organization was already splintered before his capture; the opposing faction gained prominence afterward, leading to the formation of the UPA.

This is part of the #Significantpersons series.