Pavlo Shandruk
Pavlo Shandruk (Ukrainian: Павло Шандрук, Polish: Pawło Szandruk) February 28 1889 - February 15 1979) was a Ukrainian general, colonel of the Polish Army.
Military career
In the First World War Shandruk was the commander of the Russian III. battalion of the 232. Reserve Infantry Regiment. He joined the Ukrainian National Republic in its struggle against both White and Red Russian forces. He was successively in command of the Zaporozhian Independent Rifle Battalion, the 9. Infantry Regiment and the 1. Recruit Regiment of the Ukrainian national forces. After the reorganization of the army in 1920, he led the 4. Brigade of the 3. Infantry Division. After the failed Kiev and the collapse of the Ukrainian state, he was interned in Poland together with the remaining Ukrainian soldiers.
Until 1936, he worked in different positions for the Ukrainian exile led by Simon Petlyura. In 1936 he joined the Polish Army, after which he obtained further training in the Wyższa Szkoła Wojenna. Upon the completion of his training he was promoted to the rank of major of the Polish Army.
As a colonel he fought in the Polish Army in September 1939. On September 23 colonel Szandruk rescued a brigade from annihilation from a trap. After the war he received the Virtuti Militari cross from Władysław Anders.
After capitulation, Shandruk, as an officer of the Polish army, was captured and sent to a German POW Camp, from where he was released due to his injuries. After falling ill, he was arrested by the Gestapo but set free before the Germans attacked the Russians.
In 1945 he accepted the position of the leader of the Ukrainian National Commmittee and simultaneously became the commander of the newly-formed Ukrainian National Army, fighting against the Bolsheviks on the German side.
Surrender
In May 1945 he and the remnants of the 1st UNA Division surrendered to the US forces in Austria. Later on, he lived in Germany and the USA.