Participation of the Comintern and the All-Slavic Anti-Fascist Committee in the Сreation of Foreign Military Formations on the Territory of the USSR (1941–1945)

During the Great Patriotic War, on the territory of the USSR there were created military formations consisting of representatives of peoples, whose main ‘ethnic array’ was located outside the USSR. The Executive Committee of the Comintern, the foreign bureaus of the Communist Parties and established in 1941 the All-Slavic Anti-Fascist Committee were directly involved in the creation of foreign military units. The activities of these socio-political structures had several directions, including preparatory and propaganda work aimed at motivating the transition of soldiers of enemy armies to the Soviet side and the entry of prisoners of war (POW) into the ranks of foreign military units created in the USSR, direct participation in the creation of these formations and their further political and propaganda support. One of the most effective forms of work were anti-fascist schools and courses created in POW camps. The activities of the Comintern and the All-Slavic Committee were carried out on a common ideological platform that corresponded to the guidelines of Soviet policy.