Ukrainian Information Service (UIS) [Українська Інформаційна Служба] – an agency which was active in London for several months in 1946.
The UIS was established on the basis of a decision taken in February 1946 at a conference of the Central Ukrainian Relief Bureau (CURB). However, because of the political nature of its activities, it was set up as a body separate from CURB, to avoid the possibility of official censure which might harm CURB’s relief work.
The agency’s main aim was to mobilise public opinion in the United Kingdom in support of Ukraine and Ukrainians, especially in the context of efforts made by CURB to prevent the forced repatriation of Ukrainian displaced persons and refugees to the USSR. A second aim was to inform Ukrainians in North and South America about developments in Ukraine. The UIS produced materials concerning Ukraine and disseminated these to the British press and influential individuals in the UK, and also to the Ukrainian press in North and South America. The UIS was based at the same address as CURB.
The leading figure behind the UIS was the CURB secretary (and later director) Stanley Frolick. He was assisted mainly by the political theorist and writer Dmytro Dontsov who, at the time, was living temporarily in London. Peter Pihichyn also helped with the running of the UIS.
(A separate Ukrainian Information Service was founded in London in 1949.)