Ukrainian People's Republic: Map & History

History

Block passage for White sympathisers, who frequently travelled through Ukraine to join the White Don forces.

In response, the Bolshevik diplomats met with Soviet delegates to the Third Congress of Soviets from Kharkiv and Kryvyi Rih in Kharkiv (already controlled by Bolshevik forces) and proclaimed the establishment of the Ukrainian People's Republic of Soviets, effectively creating a rival government to the Rada in Kyiv. On 30 December [O.S. 17 December] 1917, the Soviet Ukrainian government officially declared war upon the Rada, marking the formal beginning of the Ukrainian–Soviet War.

The war proceeded poorly for the UPR.

Military

Reluctant to support the emergence of a self-sufficient Ukrainian force, German military authorities dissolved several Ukrainian units, including the Blue Coat Division formed form former prisoners of war, as well as the Sich Riflemen. Among units inherited from the previous period, only the Separate Zaporizhian Division and several smaller units stationed on the borders were preserved. The reestablishment of Sich Riflemen was allowed by Germans only in September after negotiations with the hetman. On 24 July 1918 the Law on General Conscription was adopted, establishing the ground for creation of officers' corps. In October 1918 recruitment to the so-called Officers' Corps was started, with most of its members representing Russian officers.

Economy and finance

In 1918 the Hetmanate's government approved the first state budget in Ukrainian history. Sporting a deficit of over 2 billion karbovanets, its needs were to be covered by the issue of banknotes and credit notes produced by the State Bank of Ukraine and the State Treasury.

Following the arrival of Austrian and German troops, Ukraine experienced a period of agrarian reaction, with landowners engaging in revenge and punishment against peasants with the aid of occupying forces. This contributed to the spread of peasant revolts, especially in the areas of Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, which were subdued by German troops.

Culture and religion

According to the "Laws on the Provisional State System of Ukraine", the leading position in the country was occupied by the Christian Orthodox faith. At the same time, citizens of Ukraine who belonged to other denominations had the right to profess their religion and rites.

The Russian Orthodox Church, and later the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, dominated in Central and Eastern Ukraine. However, in Western Ukraine there was friction between Orthodox, Greek Catholics, Roman Catholics and Jews. In the conflicts, the Ministry of Confessions of the Ukrainian State and the Council of Ministers morally and materially supported the Orthodox clergy.