Volyn Oblast Волинська область
Oblast
Volynska oblast[1]
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Ukraine
Administrative centre	Lutsk
Government
• Governor	Yuriy Pohulyaiko[2][3]
• Oblast council	64 seats
• Chairperson	Hryhoriy Nedopad
Area
• Total	20,144 km2 (7,778 sq mi)
• Rank	Ranked 20th
Population  (2022)[4]
• Total	1,021,356
• Rank	Ranked 24th
Gross Regional Product [5]
• Total	₴ 93 billion (€2.397 billion)
• Per capita	₴ 90,331 (€2,340)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	43xxx-45xxx
Area code	+380-33
ISO 3166 code	UA-07
Raions	16
Cities (total)	11
• Regional cities	4
Urban-type settlements	22
Villages	1053
FIPS 10-4	UP24
Website	www.voladm.gov.ua

Volyn Oblast (Ukrainian: Воли́нська о́бласть, romanized: Volýnsʹka óblastʹ) or simply Volyn (Ukrainian: Воли́нь, romanized: Volýnʹ) is an oblast (province) in northwestern Ukraine. It borders Rivne Oblast to the east, Lviv Oblast to the south, Poland to the west and Belarus to the north. Its administrative centre is Lutsk. Kovel is the westernmost town and the last station in Ukraine on the rail line running from Kyiv to Warsaw. The population is 1,021,356 (2022 estimate).^[4]

History

Volyn was once part of the Kyivan Rus' before becoming an independent local principality and an integral part of the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, one of Kyivan 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.

Volyn Oblast districts (since 2020)

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 alongside Ukrainian collaborators 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 campaign 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. Some of the Ukrainians on the western side, notably around the city of Kholm (Chełm in Polish), were also forcibly relocated to Ukraine.

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.

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

Politics

Former Chairmen of Oblast Council

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

Subdivisions

The Volyn Oblast is administratively subdivided into 4 raions (districts).

Demography

Notable people

• Oleh Skvira (born 2000), Ukrainian professional football player
• Vitaliy Kvartsyanyi (born 1953), Ukrainian football manager and former player.

Gallery

• 
  Lutsk castle tower
• 
  Castle (Olyka)
• 
  Stauropygny women's monastery
• 
  Church of the Holy Trinity in Lyuboml

See also

• List of villages in Volyn Oblast

References

External links

• Volyn Oblast State Administration (in Ukrainian)
• Volyn Region (Newspaper) (in Ukrainian)
• Picture album (in Ukrainian)

50°44′29″N 25°21′14″E / 50.74139°N 25.35389°E / 50.74139; 25.35389