The Ukrainian Revolution (1917 – 1921)

February Revolution February 23 (N. S. March 8) 1917, massive strikes in Petrograd February 27 ( N. S. March 12) 1917, authority concentrated in the hands of Provisional Committee of the State Duma March 2 (N. S. 15) 1917, the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and creation the Russian Provisional Government

The Ukrainian Central Council April 6 (N. S. 19) – 8 (N. S. 21) 1917 Ukrainian National Congress Resolutions: 118 members of the Ukrainian Central Council the head – well-known historian and activist Michailo Hrushevsky deputies – Volodymyr Vynnychenko and Serhiy Yefremov March 4 (N. S. 17) 1917, the establishment of the Ukrainian Central Council March 6 (N. S. 19) 1917, the biggest and the most massive demonstration in the history of Ukraine (after The Orange Revolution) in Kyiv (Sofiyska square) to support the Ukrainian Central Council.

Universals of the Ukrainian Central Council I Universal (June 10 (N. S. 23) 1917) The declaration of autonomy II Universal (July 3 (N. S. 16) 1917) The reflect of agreement between the Ukrainian Central Council and the Russian Provisional Government about autonomy of Ukraine and the recognition of the Ukrainian Central Council and the General Secretariat as authorities in Ukraine; also the Ukrainian Central Council agrees to define the form of autonomy with the help of the All Russian Constituent Assembly; also Ukraine has no claims to complete Independence III Universal (November 7 (N. S. 20) 1917) The creation of the Ukrainian People's Republic (or the Ukrainian National Republic) in the federative relation with the Russian Republic; land’s nationalization IV Universal (January 9 (N. S. 22) 1918) The proclamation of the Ukrainian People's Republic Independence

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk It was impossible to engage in war on to fronts – against Bolsheviks and the Central Powers that’s why the Ukrainian People's Republic had to agree on peace talks. January 27 (N. S. February 9) 1918, the Ukrainian People's Republic and the Central Powers signed the treaty January 30 (N. S. February 12) 1918, the Council of People's Ministers voted about military assistance to Germany and Austria-Hungary against Bolsheviks, that occupied the big part of the Ukrainian People's Republic February – April 1918, the liberation of Ukrainian territory from Bolsheviks March 3, 1918, the separate Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Bolshevist Russia; Soviet Russia agreed to recognize the Independence of the Ukrainian People's Republic

Coup April 23, 1918, economic treaty is signed between Ukraine and Germany with Austria-Hungary. Ukraine had to supply a lot of provision to these countries. But the socialistic nature of policy in the Ukrainian People's Republic led to exacerbation of agrarian question, which could prevent realization of the treaty. That’s why German command decided to change the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic. The party headed by Pavlo Skoropadsky took advantage of this. April 24, 1918, during the meeting of this party and general Groener, was reached the agreement to change the government. April 29, 1918, All-Ukrainian Agrarian Congress elected Pavlo Skoropadsky as the Hetman of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian State Hetman’s powers : appointment as ataman (head) of the Council of Ministers approval and dismissal governmental staff performed as the highest officer in foreign policy performed as the highest warlord the right to declare amnesty the right to declare martial and special condition Thus, Ukraine became the country with the authoritarian regime

First steps: Renaming the Ukrainian People's Republic on the Ukrainian State the executive authority of the state – the Council of Ministers restoration of private property announcement free land purchase and sale introduced censorship in the press limited trade union rights created Ukrainian State Bank and State Land Bank opened 150 new gymnasiums and 2 universities created the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. Local authorities – conservative people: landowners, military etc.

The collapse of the Hetmanate: Reforms created massive resistance among peasantry and laboring, this situation led to strikes. In such situation Pavlo Skoropadsky decided to attract to the government Ukrainian democracy representatives. October 24, 1918, formation of the new government. In October 1918, the Central Powers defeated. In these conditions Pavlo Skoropadsky issued the Charter (November 14, 1918) about the federation of the Ukrainian State with the White movement November 13, 1918, the Ukrainian National Union formed The Directorate (or Directory) with: Volodymyr Vynnychenko (head), Symon Petliura, Fedir Shvets, Andrii Makarenko and Opanas Andrievsky; the Ukrainian National Union proclaimed the rebellion against hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky. December 14, 1918, hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky denied; to the middle of December, the Directory troops took all Ukrainian territory, except eastern Donbass and cities of Azov.

Declaration of Unification (The Unification Act) January 22, 1919, the Unification Act was declared by the Ukrainian People's Republic and the West Ukrainian People's Republic on the St. Sophia Square in Kyiv.

The Directorate December 26, 1918, created new government of the Ukrainian People's Republic. The Directorate became temporary supreme authority. Proclaimed: authority in the Ukrainian People's Republic belongs to “working classes – laboring and peasantry” There were free hands for aggression of opponents of the Ukrainian state: advancing of the Entente troops and the White movement troops from the South; advancing the Bolsheviks troops from the North and the North- east; Polish troops advancing from the North-west; rebel groups of Nestor Makhno and Romanian troops on the South-west. A few months later, the territory under control of the Ukrainian People's Republic were a little region around Kamianets-Podilskyi (the triangle of death ).

The Paris Peace Conference – – the delegation of the Ukrainian People's Republic participated in the Paris Peace Conference. The Ukrainian People's Republic tried to get international recognition, but this was contrary to the position of Great Britain (about “single and indivisible Russia”) and France, which wanted the strengthening of Poland. The Ukrainian People's Republic was not recognized. As a result of the Paris Peace Conference Ukrainian lands were divided between four countries for long years.

The last hope The last significant attempt to defend Ukraine from the Bolsheviks was the alliance between the Ukrainian People's Republic and Poland. Alliance was signed 28 April Under this agreement Poland recognized the Ukrainian People's Republic, and the Ukrainian People's Republic ceded the part of the Western Ukraine. The joint campaign was defeated. October 12, 1920, signed armistice between Polish and Soviet party. March 18, 1921, under the peace treaty Poland recognized the Ukrainian Soviet Socialis Republic.

Consequences The main consequence of Ukrainian revolution’s defeat was capture of Ukrainian state by neighbors and formation on the biggest part the Soviet regime. Not reaching its goals, the Ukrainian revolution initiated the process of modern political nation formation, revived the tradition of statehood. For over 70 years the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic in exile continued to operate.