The work examines the life and creative path of the little-known Ukrainian scientist-biologist V. G. Averin (1885–1955) during the Second World War and the post-war period.

The aim of the study is to highlight and reconsider the activities of V. G. Averin during the war and the subsequent reconstruction period, revealing the conditions in which the scientist had to live and work, primarily under the influence of repression. The study analyzes specific publications of the scientist during this period, particularly in ornithology, entomology, and plant protection.

A series of sources and archival documents were first processed, shedding light on previously unknown events in V. G. Averin's life. The research methodology is based on general scientific principles of historical knowledge: historicism, objectivity, systematicity, scientificity, and comprehensiveness. Source and archival analysis methods, biographical methods et al. were applied.

The research used scientific publications on World War II, works with biographical data about V. G. Averin (primarily by V. M. Grama, I. G. Pidoplichko, Ye. V. Zverozom-Zubovsky), and seven publications by V. G. Averin himself. Additionally, materials from various archives were processed, including the Security Service of Ukraine, the Institute of Archival Studies of the National Library of Ukraine named after V. I. Vernadsky, Kharkiv National Agrarian University named after V. V. Dokuchayev, and the Central State Archive of Higher Authorities and Administration of Ukraine. In addition, a number of data were found in the personal archive of V. M. Grama (1936–2020).

The material is structured based on the course of World War II and the post-war period in Ukraine and their impact on V. G. Averin's activities (15 divisions were created). In these periods considered, the main contemporary events and conditions in which V. G. Averin had to live and work, as well as his scientific contributions, are highlighted. The catastrophic consequences of repression, which are still little-known, are indicated, particularly those imposed by the totalitarian communist regime since the beginning of the Second World War. The peculiarities of the living conditions and scientific work of the evacuated Ukrainian Institute of Plant Protection (Ukrainian acronym: ХСГІ) in Uzbekistan are revealed, with a focus on difficult living conditions and food shortages. The section on re-evacuation specifies the main crimes committed by the communist authorities in liberated cities of Ukraine and later discusses the consequences of the Lysenkoism movement after the VASGNIL session in the autumn of 1948. The activities of V. G. Averin in the last years of his life are examined, along with the subsequent oblivion of his scientific achievements. It is revealed that V. G. Averin's activity during the Second World War and the post-war period was significantly constrained by political-ideological factors. However, despite the challenging times, the scientist actively conducted research in the field of plant protection from pests, ornithology, and entomology. Although V. G. Averin wrote almost ten times fewer publications than in previous years, he actively participated in conferences and engaged in public activities. Before the Nazis' invasion of the Soviet Union, he dedicated significant efforts to the upbringing of children at the youth station. However, after the VASGNIL session in 1948, the scientist was almost never mentioned.

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