Losses of Ukraine in World War II. Historian revealed the probable figure of Ukrainian losses.

During World War II, Ukraine lost between 8 and 10 million people. The authorities of the Soviet Union tried to silence this tragedy and downplay its significance. However, now opportunities for research are emerging that allow demonstrating the scale of losses and Ukraine's contribution to the victory over Nazism. This was noted by historian and people’s deputy Volodymyr Vyatrovych in his interview with 'Glavkom'.

«I think discussions about our losses during World War II will continue as intensely as those about the Holodomor. The USSR long tried to minimize the figures of Ukrainian losses. Now they are talking about 8-10 million Ukrainians who died during the war, half of whom were civilians», - the historian said.

Official position of the state on Ukraine's losses in World War II

According to the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, the number of human losses of Ukrainians during World War II exceeds 9 million people.

From 1941 to 1945, considering the victims of both regimes, forced labor, repressions, and deportations, the population of Ukraine decreased from 41 million to 27 million people. More than 700 cities and 28 thousand villages were destroyed, 550 industrial enterprises were moved, and countless historical values were lost. Ukraine's material losses from World War II amounted to over 45% of the total losses of the USSR.

On the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II, leaders of several countries published an article in The New York Times, emphasizing the need to take into account the historical lessons of the war to prevent its recurrence. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the First Lady also honored the memory of the dead by laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Researching the losses and consequences of World War II is an important direction of modern Ukrainian historiography and memory politics. Revealing the true scale of the tragedy, recognizing Ukraine's contribution to victory, and remembering the dead are becoming increasingly relevant in the context of supporting national historical consciousness and patriotism among the modern generation.