Kaminski Brigade

Also known as the S.S. Sturmbrigade R.O.N.A (Russian Army of National Liberation), the Kaminski brigade was lead by Bronislav Kaminski. Initially the deputy commander of the group, Kaminski took over once the founder Voskoboinikov was killed in a battle in 1942. Voskoboinikov established the militia in 1941 by a few hundred citizens in Lokot who wanted to prevent the Bolsheviks and Soviet partisans from reoccupying their land by arming themselves. Primarily self-governed, the group was tolerated and even assisted by the Germans who occupied nearby areas. As the militia grew, they became more and more involved in helping the Germans-- by assisting with the SD-Einsatzgruppe and security operations.


Kaminski was half German and half Jewish, with a degree in chemical engineering. He had previously spent time in the Gulag for his ideology. This gave him ample motive to go against the Soviet government, and he joined the group as soon as he arrived back in Lokot. In order to appease the Germans, he had locals produce crops to be used by the German Army. In return, he was able to expand the militia into the thousands. Furthermore, he received guns and tanks seized by the German Army to bolster his regiments. They added ex-convicts to the groups and had the militia contribute to the scorched earth policy.

Once the Soviets started pushing the Germans back, the Lokot district was no longer safe and the Kaminski Brigade retreated with the Germans, bringing with them their families (some 10,000 people) to Galicia and then Ratibor. In 1944, the Kaminski Brigade became part of the German army as an SS-Sturmbrigade. Kaminski worked under Himmler's command. Only a handful of the group's members were sent to deal with the Warsaw uprising, committing horrible acts in the process (the Germans used the Brigade to do most of their dirty work). Eventually, Kaminski and his officers were executed by Bach Zelewski (an SS general) in order to merge them under German General Vlassov's Army.



https://www.feldgrau.com/WW2-German-RONA-Kaminski-Brigade