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| Russian Liberation People's Army | |
|---|---|
| Русская освободительная народная армия | |
.jpg) Brigade's commanding officers during the suppression of theWarsaw Uprising, August 1944 | |
| Also known as | Waffen-Sturm-Brigade RONA (1944) |
| Leader | Bronislav Kaminski |
| Dates of operation | November 1941 – October 1944 / 1951 |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany Lokot Autonomy |
| Ideology | Nazism Agrarianism Russian nationalism[1][2] Collaborationism |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Size | Brigade |
| Opponents |  Soviet Union |
| Flag |  |
| Colors | White,black, andred |
| Shoulder patch |  |
TheRussian Liberation People's Army (Russian:Русская освободительная народная армия, РОНА; transcription:Russkaya osvoboditel'naya narodnaya armiya,RONA), also known as theKaminski Brigade or theWaffen-Sturm-Brigade RONA, was acollaborationist military formation composed of Russian nationals from the territory of theLokot Autonomy in the German-occupied regions of theSoviet Union.[3] The unit became known for its poor discipline, frequent drunkenness, and extreme brutality, which reportedly shocked even experienced members of theSS.[4]
The formation originated in late 1941 as anauxiliary police militia numbering around 200 men. By mid-1943, it had expanded to 10,000–12,000 personnel, equipped with captured Soviet tanks and artillery,[3] and was commanded byBronislav Kaminski. In 1942, Kaminski implemented forced mobilization of local residents, turning the militia into a small regular army of the Lokot Autonomy, also referred to as the "Lokot Republic". The force effectively became Kaminski's personal army, subordinate to him alone.[5][6]
Following the German defeat at theBattle of Kursk in August 1943, RONA units retreated to theterritory of Byelorussia, particularly to theLyepyel area ofVitebsk, where they took part inanti-partisan operations conducted by German forces. During these operations, the unit committed numerous atrocities against the civilian population.[7]
The unit was incorporated into theWaffen-SS in June 1944. AfterOperation Bagration (June–August 1944), the RONA withdrew further west, and by the end of July 1944, the remnants of the Kaminski formation—estimated at between 3,000 and 7,000 men—had regrouped at the SS training camp in Neuhammer (nowŚwiętoszów). Based on this force, the SS leadership planned to establish the29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS RONA (1st Russian) (29. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS "RONA" (russische Nr. 1)).Heinrich Himmler signed the order for the division's creation on 1 August 1944, the same day theWarsaw Uprising began. The formation of the division was never completed, and part of the brigade was deployed to Warsaw, where its members again committed numerous atrocities. Kaminski was later executed on Himmler's orders.
By 27 August 1944, due to the brigade's lack of discipline and unreliability, German command withdrew it from Warsaw. The unit was subsequently sent to theSlovak Republic, where it was deployed againstSlovak partisans. After October 1944, the brigade was disbanded, and its remaining personnel were absorbed intoAndrey Vlasov'sRussian Liberation Army.
After the war, some former members of the brigade and supporters of the Lokot Autonomy organized a partisan movement, which gradually degenerated into criminal groups and was eventually suppressed in 1951.[8][9]
In October 1941, the military advance ofNazi Germany into theSoviet Union reached theLokot area near the city ofBryansk, capturing it on 6 October 1941.[10] In November 1941, an engineer at the local alcohol plant,Bronislav Kaminski, and a local technical school teacher,Konstantin Voskoboinik, approached the German military administration with a proposal to assist in establishing a civil administration and local police.
Before the beginning of thewar on the Eastern Front, the Lokot area had been designated as a settlement zone for people prohibited from returning to their former homes in major Soviet cities—Kaminski himself being one of them. Voskoboinik was appointed by the Germans asstarosta of the "Lokotvolost" and as head of the local militia unit.[11]
The militia under Voskoboinik initially consisted of about 200 men and assisted the German authorities in various operations, including the persecution and killing of civilians accused of loyalty to the Soviet government or suspected of beingSoviet partisans. By January 1942, the militia's strength had increased to between 400 and 500 men.[11]
During a raid led by Soviet partisan commanderAlexander Saburov on 8 January 1942, Voskoboinik was mortally wounded. Following his death, Kaminski assumed command and expanded the militia.[11][12]
In cooperation with German forces, the militia began participating in anti-partisan operations. By the spring of 1942, its strength had risen to approximately 1,400 armed personnel. The number of Soviet partisans operating in the region was estimated at up to 20,000, and they controlled much of the rear area ofArmy Group Centre's operations.[13]
In mid-March 1942, Kaminski's representative informed the GermanSecond Panzer Army headquarters atOrel that Kaminski's unit was "ready to actively fight the guerrillas" and conduct propaganda against "Jew-Bolshevism" and Soviet partisans. Subsequently, the commander of the2nd Army,GeneraloberstRudolf Schmidt, appointed Kaminski as mayor of the Army Rear Area 532, headquartered in Lokot. On 19 July 1942, following approval byField MarshalGünther von Kluge, commander ofArmy Group Centre, Schmidt and the 532nd Area commander, Kaminski was granted a degree ofautonomy and nominal self-governing authority under the supervision of Major von Veltheim and Colonel Rübsam. Kaminski became the chief mayor of the Autonomous Administration of Lokot (which included eightraions) and commander of the local militia brigade.
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Beginning in June 1942, Kaminski's militia participated in a major operation codenamedOperation Vogelsang as part ofGeneralleutnantWerner Freiherr von und zu Gilsa'sKampfgruppe (task force)Gilsa II. This formation included one Panzer regiment from the5th Panzer Division, elements of the216th Infantry Division, Kaminski's militia, and detachments from the Hungarian 102nd and 108th Light Divisions. The militia served as guides,scouts, and interpreters, remaining withKampfgruppe Gilsa II until its disbandment in October 1942.
The official results of this operation—the first major engagement involving Kaminski's troops—reported 1,193 alleged partisans killed, 1,400 wounded, 498 captured, and 12,531 civilians "evacuated". TheKampfgruppe suffered 58 killed and 130 wounded out of a total strength of more than 6,500 personnel.
Kaminski decided to give his militia an official title, naming it the Russian People's Liberation Army (Russkaya Osvoboditelnaya Narodnaya Armiya, RONA). In autumn 1942, he ordered the compulsory conscription of all able-bodied men into the militia. The units were further reinforced with "volunteers" recruited from among Soviet prisoners of war in nearby Nazi concentration camps. From 1941 onward, due to fuel shortages and minor mechanical issues, Kaminski's unit was instructed to collect abandoned Soviet tanks and armoured vehicles. By November 1942, the formation possessed at least twoBT-7 light tanks and one 76 mm artillery system.
Due to the shortage of military uniforms and footwear—some members were reportedly barefoot—the Germans supplied used uniforms, sufficient for only four battalions. By late 1942, the militia of theLokot Autonomy had expanded to a 14-battalionbrigade, comprising nearly 8,000 armed men. From 19 November to December 1942, Lokot was inspected under orders fromAlfred Rosenberg. As of January 1943, the brigade numbered 9,828 men; its armoured unit included one heavyKV-2, two mediumT-34, three BT-7, and twoBT-5 light tanks, along with three armoured cars (oneBA-10 and twoBA-20).
In spring 1943, the brigade was reorganised into five regiments, each consisting of three battalions, along with an anti-aircraft battalion equipped with three anti-aircraft guns and four heavy machine guns, and an armoured unit. A separate "guard" battalion was also formed. The total brigade strength was estimated at up to 12,000 men.
Prior toOperation Citadel, the major German offensive aimed at destroying theKursksalient, the brigade participated inOperation Zigeunerbaron ("Gypsy Baron") in May–June 1943, alongside other German units. This was followed by similar operations—Freischütz andTannhäuser—targeting partisans and involving reprisals against the civilian population.
During the summer of 1943, the brigade experienced mass desertions, partly due to recent Soviet victories and partisan efforts to persuade Kaminski's troops to defect. Several assassination attempts were made on Kaminski's life; each time, he narrowly survived and ordered the execution of those involved. German officers passing through Lokot reported seeing bodies hanging from gallows outside Kaminski's headquarters. To prevent a collapse in discipline, a German liaison staff was assigned to Kaminski's headquarters to reorganise the brigade and restore order. At this stage, the unit's strength was estimated at around 8,500 men. Its armoured component included one heavy KV-2, four medium T-34s, three BT-5 light tanks, one T-37 amphibious tank, one BA-10 armoured car, and two armoured carriers.
Following the failure of Operation Citadel, Soviet counter-offensives forced the brigade and their families to retreat alongside the withdrawing German forces. On 29 July 1943, Kaminski issued orders for the evacuation of property and the families of RONA members and Lokot officials. By the end of August 1943, up to 30,000 people—including 10,000–11,000 brigade members—had been relocated by the Germans to theLyepyel area ofVitebsk in Belarus. According to post-war Soviet estimates, up to 10,000 civilians were killed during the existence of the Kaminski formation.
The brigade eventually settled in theLyepyel area ofVitebsk, a region heavily dominated by partisans. The unit was engaged in continuous combat in this area for the remainder of the year.
During the retreat, desertions from the brigade increased significantly, bringing the formation to the brink of collapse. When the commander of the 2nd Regiment, Major Tarasov, decided to defect to the partisans with his entire regiment—having been promised amnesty in return—Kaminski reportedly flew to Tarasov's headquarters and, according to one account, strangled him and eight others in front of their men. Despite the threat of reprisals, up to 200 soldiers deserted within the following two days. By early October 1943, the brigade had lost two-thirds of its personnel, although it retained 12 tanks (eight of themT-34s), one 122 mm gun, three 76 mm guns, and eight 45 mm artillery pieces.
On 27 January 1944,Heinrich Himmler awarded Kaminski theIron Cross 2nd Class and, on the same day, the Iron Cross 1st Class, in recognition of his "achievements." On 15 February 1944, Kaminski issued an order to relocate the brigade and its administration further west to theDzyatlava area in western Belarus.
At this stage, the brigade's ranks were reinforced with police units from Belarus. In March 1944, the formation was renamed theVolksheer-Brigade Kaminski. Beginning on 11 April 1944, it was attached toSS-Kampfgruppevon Gottberg, which also included theSS-Sonderbataillon Dirlewanger. The unit participated in a series of large-scale anti-partisan operations, includingRegenschauer (reporting up to 7,000 partisans killed),Frühlingsfest (7,011 partisans reported killed and 1,065 weapons captured), andKormoran (7,697 partisans reported killed and 325 weapons captured).
During these operations, local civilians were often executed as "suspected partisans" or deported for forced labour, and numerous villages were destroyed.
In June 1944, the brigade was incorporated into theWaffen-SS. Upon its transfer, it was redesignated as theWaffen-Sturm-Brigade RONA, andBronislav Kaminski was granted the rank ofWaffen-Brigadeführer der SS—the only individual to hold this title.
Following the launch ofOperation Bagration, the brigade's anti-partisan operations were suspended. Its remaining personnel, estimated between 3,000 and 7,000 depending on the source, were regrouped at theNeuhammer SS training camp. Plans were subsequently made to create a non-German SS division, with the structure for the29. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (russische Nr. 1) established by an order issued on 1 August 1944. On the same day, Kaminski was officially promoted toWaffen-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS.
TheWarsaw Uprising, which began on 1 August 1944, disruptedHeinrich Himmler's plans for the RONA formation. On 4 August 1944, a combat-ready regiment of the brigade was ordered to assist German forces in suppressing the uprising.SS-Gruppenführer Heinz Reinefarth was placed in command ofKampfgruppe Reinefarth, a pacification unit that included the Kaminski Brigade, theSS-Sonderregiment Dirlewanger, and severalOrdnungspolizei and SS rear-area units. Himmler personally requested Kaminski's participation, and Kaminski responded by assembling a task force of approximately 1,700 unmarried men, reportedly supported by fourT-34 tanks, oneSU-76, and several artillery pieces. The unit, commanded in the field by Kaminski's chief of staff,Waffen-Sturmbannführer Ivan Frolov, may have numbered around 1,600 men with seven artillery pieces and four mortars, according to Frolov's later testimony.
The Kaminski volunteers were first tasked with clearing theOchota district, defended by about 300 poorly armed Polish insurgents. The attack was scheduled for the morning of 5 August but was delayed when Kaminski's men were found looting abandoned houses instead of assembling for combat. The offensive eventually began near noon but advanced only about 275 metres before nightfall. The brigade had neither experience nor training inurban warfare, and many soldiers were encountering a major city for the first time. They performed poorly and suffered heavy casualties. During these operations, thousands of Polish civilians were murdered by RONA troops in what became known as theOchota massacre; many victims were also subjected to rape.
By mid-August, the Kaminski Brigade was transferred to theWola district, where it again failed to achieve success. In one incident, a sub-unit paused to loot a building on the front line and was subsequently cut off and destroyed by Polish forces.
By 27 August, German commanders deemed the brigade too undisciplined and unreliable for further combat. Despite nearly a month of fighting, it had failed to achieve any major objectives. The German commander in Warsaw,SS-Obergruppenführer Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski, later testified that the unit "had no military combat value whatsoever, with both officers and soldiers lacking even a basic tactical understanding. I saw Kaminski's men removing cartloads of stolen jewellery, gold watches, and precious stones. The capture of a liquor supply was more important to the brigade than seizing a position on the same street. Each assault was instantly halted, as the units dispersed into looting mobs." Kaminski himself participated in the looting, claiming he was collecting valuables for his "Russian Liberation Fund." Major General Günter Rohr, commander of Warsaw's southern sector, demanded the brigade's removal, and Bach-Zelewski agreed, stating that the unit hindered the suppression of the uprising. Once replacement units arrived, the Kaminski formation was withdrawn, having lost about 500 men in combat.
The remnants of the RONA unit, now notorious even among SS formations, were reassigned to theKampinos Forest to assist in encircling Warsaw. There, an artillery battery and one infantry battalion were attacked by about 80 Polish partisans under Lieutenant Colonel "Dolina" (Adolf Pilch) while stationed in the deserted village ofTruskaw. Nearly 100 RONA and German SS personnel were killed during the midnight assault. The survivors—many reportedly intoxicated—fled in disorder, abandoning their weapons. The 1st Regiment lost its entire artillery battery and much of the loot taken from Warsaw.[14] According to some Polish sources, 250 RONA troops were killed during the night of 2–3 September in theraid on Truskaw, and another 100 died in theraid [pl] on the village ofMarianów the following night.[15] The diary of a RONA soldier, Ivan Vashenko, who was killed at Truskaw, was later published in Poland in 1947.[16]
During the Warsaw campaign, Kaminski was summoned toŁódź for a leadership conference but never arrived. Official reports blamed his death on an ambush by Polish partisans in which Kaminski and several RONA officials, including chief of staffObersturmbannführer Ilya Shavykin, were allegedly killed. Other accounts suggest he was executed following a court-martial or shot by theGestapo.
Kaminski's death, combined with the brigade’s poor discipline and combat record, ended plans to expand it into a full division. After his death, command of the remaining unit passed toSS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der PolizeiChristoph Diehm.
As the front line advanced once more, the remnants of the brigade, along with accompanying civilian refugees, were scheduled to be evacuated toHungary. However, the outbreak of theSlovak National Uprising left them stranded in railway trains nearRacibórz in southern Poland.
From 27 September 1944, the brigade came under the overall command of SS-GruppenführerHeinrich Jürs [de]. In October, following an inspection of the brigade's personnel in the Raum Kattowitz area, German authorities decided to incorporate the remaining elements of Kaminski’s brigade into GeneralAndrey Vlasov'sRussian Liberation Army.[17]
From November 1944, the remaining elements of the brigade—estimated by some sources to number up to 2,000 personnel—were transferred to the military training camp atMünsingen. There, they became part of the newly formed600. Infanterie-Division (russisch) underAndrey Vlasov'sRussian Liberation Army. Former RONA members were reorganised into one of the division's regiments. Accompanying civilians were relocated toPomerania to serve as labourers.
Following the end of the Second World War in Europe, some former RONA and Lokot personnel were repatriated by the Western Allies to the Soviet Union. In late 1946, a Soviet military court sentenced Ivan Frolov and several others to death. Some repatriated members of the brigade and supporters of the Lokot Autonomy formed partisan groups around Lokot; however, these groups gradually degenerated into criminal organisations, with the last major group being eliminated in 1951.[8][9]
During the 1950s and 1960s, Soviet authorities identified and prosecuted dozens of additional former members, some of whom were also convicted and executed. The last known member of the Lokot/RONA personnel to be prosecuted wasAntonina Makarova, who was responsible for at least 168, and possibly as many as 1,500, executions. Makarova was arrested in 1978, convicted of treason, sentenced to death, and executed in 1979.[18]
The ranks used by the brigade from May 1943 to June 1944 were as follows:
| Insignia | Rank | Transliteration | Comparative rank in the German Army | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collar | Shoulder | |||
 | Полковник | Polkovnik | Oberst | |
 | Подполковник | Podpolkovnik | Oberstleutnant | |
 | Майор | Mayor | Major | |
 | Капитан | Kapitan | Hauptmann | |
 | Старший лейтенант | Starshiy leytenant | Oberleutnant | |
 | Лейтенант | Leytenant | Leutnant | |
 | Фельдфебель | Fel'dfebel' | Feldwebel | |
 | Унтер-офицер | Unter-ofitser | Unteroffizier | |
 | Ефрейтор | Yefreytor | Gefreiter | |
 | Рядовой | Ryadovoy | Grenadier | |
| Source: | [19] | |||
In 1942, personnel wore white armbands featuring aSt. George's Cross. From May 1943, the brigade adopted an arm badge consisting of a white shield with red borders and a black St. George's Cross, with the yellow abbreviation "POHA" in the upper section. Some sources also report that aswastika appeared on the brigade’s banner.
| No. | Portrait | Commander | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Voskoboinik, KonstantinKonstantin Voskoboinik (1895–1942) | 16 October 1941 | 8 January 1942 † | 84 days |
| 2 |  | Kaminski, BronislavWaffen-Brigadeführer der SS Bronislav Kaminski (1899–1944) | 8 January 1942 | 18 August 1944 | 2 years, 223 days |
| 3 |  | Diehm, ChristophSS-Brigadeführer Christoph Diehm (1892–1960) | 20 August 1944 | 27 September 1944 | 40 days |
| 4 | | Jürs, HeinrichSS-Gruppenführer Heinrich Jürs [de] (1897–1945) | 27 September 1944 | October 1944 | <1 month |
Отдельные очаги сопротивления на Брянщине продолжали партизанскую войну до 1951 года, постепенно вырождаясь в бандгруппы... В бою с одной из таких групп при задержании её главаря был тяжело ранен начальник Комаричского отделения госбезопасности капитан Ковалёв.
Действуя мелкими разрозненными группами, повстанцы, тем не менее, причиняют серьезное беспокойство советским властям. <...> Однако изолированное от внешних сил повстанчество постепенно вырождается в бандитизм. Последняя крупная банда, действовавшая несколько лет, была ликвидирована в 1951 г. в деревне Лагеревка («Финляндия»).
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