Ukrainian People's Republic

TheUkrainian People's Republic(UPR)was a short-lived state inEastern Europe. Prior to its proclamation, theCentral Council of Ukrainewas elected in March 1917as a resultof theFebruary Revolution, and in June, itdeclaredUkrainian autonomy within Russia. Its autonomy was later recognized by theRussian Provisional Government. Following theOctober Revolution, the Central Council of Ukraine denounced theBolshevikseizure of power andproclaimedthe Ukrainian People's Republic with a territory including the area of approximately eight Russian imperial governorates (Kiev,Volhynia,Kharkov,Kherson,Yekaterinoslav,Poltava,ChernigovandPodolia). Itformally declared its independencefrom Russia on 22 January 1918.
During its short existence, the republic went through several political transformations – from the socialist-leaning republic headed by the Central Council of Ukraine with itsgeneral secretariat, to the socialist republic led by theDirectorateand bySymon Petliura. Between April and December 1918, the socialist authority of the Ukrainian People's Republic was suspended, having been overthrown by the pro-GermanUkrainian StateofPavlo Skoropadskyi, who was elected as theHetman of Ukraineby a congress of peasants.After the collapse of the Ukrainian State, the Ukrainian People's Republic declared itsunificationwith theWest Ukrainian People's Republicin January 1919. After thePolish–Ukrainian War, it signedan alliancewith theSecond Polish Republic. On 10 November 1920, the state lost the remainder of its territory to the Bolsheviks. ThePeace of Rigaon 18 March 1921 between Poland,Soviet Russia(acting also on behalf ofSoviet Belarus), andSoviet Ukrainesealed the fate of the Ukrainian People's Republic.
After the October Revolution, many governments formed in the territory of Ukraine, most notably theUkrainian People's Republic of Sovietsbased inKharkov, and its Soviet successors. This force, along with the Ukrainian People's Republic, theWhite movement,Poland,Green armies, andanarchists, fought constantly with each other, which resulted in many casualties among Ukrainians fighting in theUkrainian War of Independenceas part of the widerRussian Civil Warof 1917–1923. Soviet Russia would extend its control over what would ultimately become theUkrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, which became a founding member of theSoviet Unionin 1922.
On 10 June 1917, theCentral Council of Ukrainedeclared its autonomy as part of theRussian Republicby itsFirst Universalat the All-Ukrainian Military Congress. The highest governing body of the Ukrainian People's Republic became theGeneral Secretariatheaded byVolodymyr Vynnychenko. The Prime Minister of RussiaAlexander Kerenskyrecognized the Secretariat, appointing it as the representative governing body of theRussian Provisional Governmentand limiting its powers to fivegovernorates:Volyn,Kiev Governorate,Podolia,Chernigov, andPoltava. At first Vynnychenko protested and left his post as Secretariat leader, but eventually returned to reassemble the Secretariat after the Tsentralna Rada accepted theKerensky Instruktsiyaand issued theSecond Universal.
After theOctober Revolutionthe Kievan faction of theBolshevikParty instigated theuprising in Kievon 8 November 1917 in order to establish Soviet power in the city.Kiev Military Districtforces attempted to stop it, but after the Tsentralna Rada threw its support behind the Bolsheviks, the Russian forces were eliminated from Kiev. After expelling the government forces, the Rada announced a wider autonomy for the Ukrainian Republic, still maintaining ties to Russia, on 22 November 1917. The territory of the republic was proclaimed by theThird Universal20 November 1917 (7 November by Old Style)of the Tsentralna Rada encompassing the governorates: Volyn, Kiev, Podolie, Chernigov, Poltava,Kharkov,Yekaterinoslav,Kherson,Taurida(not includingCrimea). It also stated that the people of the governorates:Voronezh,Kholm, andKurskwere welcome to join the republic through areferendum. Further the Tsentralna Rada in its Universal stated that because there was no Government in the Russian Republic after theOctober Revolutionit proclaimed itself the Supreme governing body of the territory of Ukraine until order in the Russian republic could be restored. TheCentral Council of Ukrainecalled all revolutionary activities such as the October Revolution acivil warand expressed its hopes for the resolution of the chaos.
After a brief truce, the Bolsheviks realized that the Rada had no intention of supporting the Bolshevik Revolution. They re-organized into anAll-Ukrainian Council of Sovietsin December 1917 in an attempt to seize power. When that failed due to the Bolsheviks' relative lack of popularity in Kiev, they moved toKharkov. The Bolsheviks of Ukraine declared the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic outlawed and proclaimed theUkrainian People's Republic of Sovietswith capital in Kiev, claiming that the government of thePeople's Secretaries of Ukrainewas the only government in the country. The BolshevikRed Armyentered Ukraine from theRussian SFSRin support of the local Soviet government. As the relationships between members within the Tsentralna Rada soured, a series of regional Soviet republics on the territory of Ukraine proclaimed their independence and allegiance to the Petrogradsovnarkom(Odesa Soviet Republic(southern Ukraine),Donetsk-Krivoi Rog Soviet Republic(eastern Ukraine)). The Donetsk-Kryvoi Rog Republic was created by a direct decree ofLeninas part of the Russian SFSR with its capital in Kharkov. That decree was successfully implemented byFyodor Sergeyevwho became the chairman of the local government as well as joining the Soviet government of Ukraine, simultaneously. UnlikeFyodor Sergeyev'sRepublic, the Odesa Republic was not recognized by any other Bolshevik governments and on its own initiative had entered a military conflict withRomaniafor control over theMoldavian Democratic Republic, whose territory it was contesting.
The following information is based on the exposition of the Museum of Soviet occupation in Kiev (Memorialin Kiev).
(Each deputy represents 100,000 of population, a right of vote have citizens of 20 years and older; established the Central Election Commission to the Ukrainian Constituent Assembly)
In April 1918 troops loyal to the Ukrainian People's Republic take control of several cities in theDonbas region.
Due to the aggression fromSoviet Russia, on 22 January 1918, the Tsentralna Rada issued itsFourth Universal(dated 22 January 1918), breaking ties withBolshevik Russiaand proclaiming a sovereign Ukrainian state.Less than a month later, on 9 February 1918, the Red Army seized Kiev.
Besieged by the Bolsheviks and having lost much territory, the Rada was forced to seek foreign aid, and signed theTreaty of Brest-Litovskon 9 February 1918 to obtain military help from theGermanandAustro-HungarianEmpires. Germany helped the Ukrainian Army force the Bolsheviks out of Ukraine. On 20 February 1918 the council of theKuban People's Republicaccepted the resolution for a federal union of Kuban with Ukraine as Bolshevik forces pushed towardsYekaterinodar. It was agreed to forward the resolution for ratification to the Ukrainian government.
After the treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Ukraine became a virtualprotectorateof theGerman Empirewhich at that time seemed more favorablethan being overrun by the Soviet forces that were spreadinghavocin the country. Germany was anxious about losing the war and was trying to speed up the process of food extraction from Ukraine, so it decided to install its own administration in the person ofGeneralfeldmarschallvon Eichhornwho replaced theColonel GeneralAlexander von Linsingen. On 6 April the commander of the Army groupKijewissued an order in which he explained his intentions to execute the conditions of the treaty. That, of course, conflicted with the laws of the Ukrainian government, which annulled his order. By April 1918 theGerman-AustrianOperation Faustschlagoffensive had completely removed the Bolsheviks from Ukraine.The German/Austro-Hungarian victories in Ukraine were due to the apathy of the locals and the inferior fighting skills of Bolsheviks troops compared to their Austro-Hungarian and German counterparts.
The Germans arrested and disbanded the Tsentralna Rada on 29 April 1918 to stop the social reforms that were taking place and restarted the process of food supply transfer to Germany and Austria-Hungary. The German authorities also arrested the UkrainianPrime Minister,Vsevolod Holubovych, on terrorist charges, and thus disbanded the Council of People's Ministers. Prior to this, the Rada had approved theConstitution of the Ukrainian People's Republic. Concurrently with all these events and a few days prior to the change of powers in the country on 24 April 1918 the government of Belarus confirmed the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce in Kiev headed byMitrofan Dovnar-Zapolskyon the initiative of the Belarusian secretary of financePyotr Krechevsky.
After thecoup, the Rada was replaced by the conservative government ofHetmanPavlo Skoropadsky, theHetmanate, and the Ukrainian People's Republic by a "Ukrainian State" (Ukrainska derzhava). Skoropadsky, a former officer of theRussian Empire, established a regime favoring large landowners and concentrating power at the top. The government had little support from Ukrainian activists, but unlike the socialist Rada, it was able to establish an effective administrative organization, established diplomatic ties with many countries, and concluded a peace treaty with Soviet Russia. In a few months, the Hetmanate also printed millions ofUkrainian languagetextbooks, established many Ukrainian schools, two universities, and theUkrainian Academy of Sciences.
The Hetmanate government also supported the confiscation of previously nationalized peasant lands by wealthy estate owners, often with the help of German troops. This led to unrest, the rise of a peasant partisan (guerrilla) movement, and a series of large-scale popular armed revolts. Negotiations were held to garner support from previous Rada membersPetliuraandVynnychenko, but these activists worked to overthrow Skoropadsky. On 30 July, a RussianLeft Socialist-Revolutionary,Boris Mikhailovich Donskoy, with help from the localUSRPsucceeded in assassinatingvon Eichhorn, blowing him up in downtown Kiev at a broadlight.
Due to the impending loss ofWorld War Iby Germany andAustria-Hungary, Skoropadsky's sponsors, the Hetman formed a new cabinet of Russian Monarchists and committed to federation with a possible future non-Bolshevik Russia. In response, the Ukrainian socialists announced a new revolutionary government, theDirectorate, on 14 November 1918.
The Directorate gained massive popularity, and the support of some of Skoropadsky's military units including the Serdiuk Division. Their insurgent army encircled Kiev on 21 November. After a three-week-long stalemate Skoropadsky abdicated in favor of the Council of Ministers who surrendered to the Revolutionary forces. On 19 December 1918, the Directorate took control of Kiev.
The Bolsheviks invaded Ukraine fromKurskin late December 1918 where the new Ukrainian Soviet government was reestablished earlier in November of the same year. On 16 January 1919 Ukraine officially declared a war on Russia while the Russian Soviet government continued to deny all claims of invasion. On 22 January 1919, the Directorate wasofficially unitedwith theWest Ukrainian People's Republic, although the latter entityde factomaintained its own army and government. On 5 February, the Bolsheviks captured Kiev.
Throughout 1919, Ukraine experienced chaos as the armies of the Ukrainian Republic, the Bolsheviks, the Whites, the foreign powers of theEntente, andPoland, as well asanarchistforces such as that ofNestor Makhnotried to prevail. The subsequentKiev offensive, staged by the Polish army and allied Ukrainian forces, was unable to change the situation. On 10 November 1920, the Directorate lost the remainder of its territory to the Bolsheviks in Volhynia as it crossed into Poland to accept internment.In March 1921, thePeace of Rigasealed a shared control of the territory by Poland, theRussian SFSR, and theUkrainian SSR.
As the result, the lands ofGalicia(Halychyna) as well as a large part of theVolhynianterritory were incorporated into Poland, while the areas to the east and south became part of Soviet Ukraine.
After its military and political defeat, the Directorate continued to maintain control over some of its military forces. Preempting a planned invasion by its rivalArchduke Wilhelm of Austria,in October 1921 theUkrainian National Republic's government-in-exilelaunched a series of guerrilla raids into central Ukraine that reached as far east asKiev Oblast. On 4 November, the Directorate's guerrillas capturedKorostenand seized much military supplies. But on 17 November 1921, this force was surrounded by Bolshevik cavalry and destroyed.
The following is the list of numerous uprisings that took place during the formation of the Ukrainian People's Republic. Some of them were in opposition to the Petlyura's government (such as the Oskilko's Affair), some were against the establishment of the Soviet regime, some took place to eliminate the Entente forces. According toChekadocumentation, in Ukraine took place 268 uprisings from 1917 through 1932, where in over 100 raions the mutinied peasants were killing chekists, communists, andprodotryadsthat were requisitioning food by force which more resembledexpropriation.
The government of Ukrainian People's Republicoperated inWarsaw,Paris,Weimar,Kissingen,Munich, andPhiladelphia.
After the beginning of the World War IITaras Bulba-Borovets, with the support of the President of the Ukrainian People's Republic in exileAndrii Livytskyi, crossed the German-Soviet border and started organizingUPAmilitary units subordinate to the UPR Government.
The 10th Emergency Session of the Ukrainian National Council recognized the state of Ukraine as the successor of the Ukrainian People's Republic in exile and agreed to transfer the powers and attributes of state power to the newly electedPresident of Ukrainein 1991.
The Ukrainian People's Republic was recognizedde jurein February 1918 by theCentral PowersofWorld War I(Austria-Hungary,Germany, theOttoman EmpireandBulgaria)and byBolshevik Russia, the Baltic States (Estonia,LatviaandLithuania),Georgia,Azerbaijan,Romania,Czechoslovakia, and theHoly See.De factorecognition was granted bySwitzerland,Sweden,Denmark, andPersia.Partial de facto recognition was received from theBelarusian Democratic Republic(seeBelarus–Ukraine relations).
Later in 1918 Russia chose to withdraw its recognition of independent Ukraine, representing the protocols of theVersailles Treatyas justification for its action. In 1920Symon PetliuraandJózef Piłsudskisigned theWarsaw Treatyin which both countries established their borders along theZbruch River.The states that previously recognized the Ukrainian People's Republic ceased any relationships with itsGovernment-in-exileafter they recognized the Soviet Government in Kiev.
According to the latest census that was taken 1897, the republic was accounted for over 20 million population in seven former Russianguberniyas, plus threeuyezdsof theTaurida Governoratethat were located on the mainland.
On 4 March 1918 the Ukrainian government accepted the law about the administrative-territorial division of Ukraine. The law stated that Ukraine is divided into 32 zemlia (land) which are administered by their respectivezemstvo. This law was not fully implemented as on 29 April 1918 there was the anti-socialist coup in Kiev, after which HetmanPavlo Skoropadskyreverted the reform back to theguberniya-type administration.
The headquarters of the republic's armed forces was called the General Bulawa and was considered to be located in Kiev. Of course, due to constant intervention from the Petrogradsovnarkomand theGerman Empirethe physical location of it was changing (Kamyanets-Podilsky,Bila Tserkva, others).
The following three Zaporizhian infantry regiments and the 3 Haidamaka Regiment of the biggest Ukrainian military formation, the Zaporizhian Corps, later were reorganized into the 1 Zaporizhian Division.
In December 1918 a temporary law about the issue of state banknotes by the UPR was adopted. According to this law: "Bank-notes must be issued in karbovanets" (Ukrainian: Карбованець). Each karbovanets contains 17.424 parts of pure gold and is divided into twohrivnas(Ukrainian: Гривня) or 200shahs(Ukrainian: Шаг).
There were numerous banks in the republic among the most popular ones were theUkrainabankand theSoyuzbankthat were created byKhrystofor Baranovsky, the leader of a cooperative movement.
The area claimed by the Ukrainian People's Republic in 1919 (red and pink), compared with Ukraine after it regained independence in 1991 (red and green for the territories not claimed in 1919).
50°27′N30°30′E﻿ / ﻿50.450°N 30.500°E﻿ /50.450; 30.500