Karpenko, Dmytro

Karpenko, Dmytro (nom de guerre: Yastrub), b 1920 in Poltava gubernia, d 17 December 1944 in Strilyska Novi, Drohobych oblast. Prominent field commander of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. A lieutenant of a Red Army tank unit, in 1943 he joined the Organization of Ukranian Nationalists in the Odesa region. Advancing quickly in rank, he became commander of the Graywolves Company of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, which in November 1943 was assigned to the Ternopil Military District. In the spring and summer of 1944 Karpenko fought the Polish Home Army and Soviet partisans (see Soviet partisans in Ukraine, 1941–5) in the Rava-Ruska area. Returning to his base in September, he rose to battalion commander and fought several large battles with the NKVD Internal Troops, including the Battle of Univ on 30 September. Killed in action, he was awarded posthumously the rank of captain and the Gold Cross of Combat Merit First Class. Karpenko was the first officer to receive this medal.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 2 (1989).]