Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Delving into declassified documents from the archives of the Security Service of Ukraine allows discovering unknown pages of history that indicate that in the plans of the USSR security organs to physically liquidate active figures of the Ukrainian national liberation movement abroad there were not only candidates like Yevhen Konovalets, Andriy Melnyk, Stepan Bandera, Lev Rebet, Mykola Kapustiansky, Yaroslav Stetsko, but also some other remarkable individuals.
One of the targets of such measures was the talented journalist, publicist, publisher, and social-political figure Roman Ilnytsky.
Roman Ilnytsky’s surname is repeatedly mentioned in documents 1940–1950 from years in which there is talk of a split in the OUN-Rev revolutionary leadership led by Stepan Bandera and the creation of a democratic opposition led by Lev Rebet and Zinoviy Matla. As a result of a series of intra-party conflicts, some figures left the OUN-M (OUN-Moscow) and in 1954 year created a new organization—the OUN Abroad (OUN-z). Given the presence of two leading figures of this wing of the OUN, they were nicknamed the “duelists.” At the same time, there was a third active progressive modern figure of the new organization, whom the Chekists drew attention to and opened an operative case on.
In one of the briefs it was reported that Roman Ilnytsky under certain conditions could have become the head of the OUN-z at the very first stage of its activity. It stated that at the conference of the Foreign Parts of the OUN (“duelists”), which took place in Munich 25–26 December 1955 year, he was proposed as the head of the Governing Body. He allegedly insisted that Yevhen Stakhiv and Volodymyr Martynets be included in the Governing Body. Since these candidates were not supported by the conference, he declined the position. Then the head of OUN-z was elected Lev Rebet. Meanwhile Roman Ilnytsky became his deputy.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Розсекречені архіви радянських спецслужб: Роман Ільницький- діяч демократичного крила ОУН, якого могла спіткати участь Лева Ребета". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: argumentua.com.