The dissertation conducts a comprehensive study of the activities of the Soviet state security authorities in the Ternopil region (1944–1953).
The first chaper analyzes the available historiographical and source base on the subject. The historiographical complex, in relation to the studied issues, is conditionally divided into groups, the first group includes the works of Ukrainian historians; the second group consists of the work of foreign historians.
The source base consists of two groups: 1) published documents 2) unpublished archival materials of the funds of archival institutions of Ukraine, funds of archival institutions of Ukraine.
The structure of the NKDB headquarters, city NKDB departments, district departments, AGFV, and the internal prison is studied. The author analyzes the staffing and equipment of the state security authorities. A significant staff shortage was identified, with up to 40 % of vacancies in the structures. The low level of training of personnel stands out; most employees in the state security structures in Ternopil region graduated from 3rd to 8th grade.
Particular attention is paid to departments 10 and 11, their task was to oppose the Ukrainian and Polish liberation movements. Attention is focused on the full complement of these structures, and the origin of the employees, for example, department 10, whose task was to oppose the Ukrainian liberation movement, was almost entirely composed of Russians. Department 11, which was supposed to confront the Polish underground, was staffed by Ukrainians.
The transformation of state security authorities after the end of the Second World War is highlighted, attention is drawn to the further growth of Department 10, which was transformed into Department 2-N and significantly expanded.
The author shows a gradual increase in the number of positions in the structures of the Soviet state security authorities since 1947, and also demonstrates an improvement in their staffing. It was noted that after the reform of 1946, the educational level of employees improved, the number of employees with secondary and higher education increased, and only low-level employees graduated from the 3rd-8th grades of school.
It has been studied that the state security authrities were fully accountable to the Communist Party, as they reported to the district and regional committees of the CP(B)U. Party structures appointed employees to the NKDB-MDB and conducted inspections of the use of funds, operational work, etc.
The author proves the participation of Soviet state security authorities in repressions against the Ukrainian liberation movement. The author emphasizes that the NKDB-MDB not only carried out repressions, but also planned them. For example, the NKDB-MDB Main Directorate received detailed instructions on repression from Kyiv and a detailed action plan. In particular, it appointed responsible people for the elimination of this or that OUN leadership, the timing of tasks, and a list of available military forces to implement the plan.
Statistical data of repressions by year are provided, with detailed figures of killed and arrested members of the Ukrainian liberation movement, the number of deported families of rebels, and losses among state security personnel are less often reported.
The key role of the Soviet state security authorities in the implementation of mass deportations is emphasized, with the NKDB-MDB acting as organizers and executors of the deportations. The main departments of the NKDB-MDB received instructions, eviction plans, and the number of families to be deported to specific regions.
The role of the state security authorities in the liquidation of the UGCC and Protestant religious organizations and Jehovah's Witnesses is investigated. It is shown that the MDB organized the pseudo-council of 1946, where the "unification" with the Russian Orthodox Church was announced. Attention is focused on the repression against priests, the closing of the UGCC shacks and their use as warehouses or educational organizations.
The author demonstrates the attempts of state security authorities to take control of Protestant religious organizations in order to subordinate them to a single structure, but after the failure of the plan, believers were repressed. The repressions against Jehovah's Witnesses are shown, with an emphasis on how the leaders of the cells were first identified, tried, and then deported with their families.
It is noted that as a result of the repressions, the ethnic composition of the population changed, with the number of Poles and Jews decreasing significantly. Attention is drawn to the increase in the number of Russians, especially in cities. It is noted that the total population has also decreased, and there has been no post-war population growth, in part due to repression.
