Cover Osteuropa 3-4/2019

In Osteuropa 3-4/2019

Between the front and parliament
Voluntary units and political parties in Ukraine

Kostiantyn Fedorenko, Andreas Umland


Deutsche Fassung

Abstract

Voluntary units were established in Ukraine in 2014. They supported the army in the fight against the separatist rebels and Russian interventionists in eastern Ukraine. Some of these units were founded by political parties and organisations from the right-wing extremist camp. After the hot phase of the war had passed, several of their commanders took on roles in the parliaments and in the administration. However, they did not become an influential political force. The voluntary units were neither willing nor able to successfully assert their interests in the political arena.

(Osteuropa 3-4/2019, pp. 163–176)