Ukrainian People's Republic

Origins

In March 1917 Ukrainian parties formed the Central Rada in Kyiv, chaired by the historian Mykhailo Hrushevsky. After the October Revolution its Third Universal of November 1917 proclaimed the Ukrainian People's Republic, and the Fourth Universal of January 1918 declared full independence.

Rule and society

The Rada passed land reform and made a separate peace with the Central Powers at Brest-Litovsk in February 1918, relying on German troops against the Bolsheviks. In April 1918 the Germans replaced it with the Ukrainian State, but in December a Directorate led by Volodymyr Vynnychenko and Symon Petliura restored the republic. In January 1919 it proclaimed union with the West Ukrainian People's Republic.

Decline and legacy

Attacked by Bolsheviks, Whites and Poles, the republic lost most of its territory in 1919. Petliura allied with the Second Polish Republic in 1920, but the Peace of Riga in 1921 divided Ukraine between Poland and the Ukrainian SSR. The government continued in exile until 1992.