UKRAINIAN ISSUES AND SUPPORT OF CENTRAL RADA IN KHERSON PROVINCE

Abstract

The article highlights and analyses the attitude of the public of the city of Kherson and Kherson Governorate to the events of 1917–1918, including the period of activity of the Ukrainian Central Rada, the attempt to fight for power by the Provisional Government and the Bolsheviks’ resistance to the process of becoming Ukrainian forces. Attention is paid to the characteristics of the meetings, congresses of the region, which were aimed at demonstrating the attitude of the political forces and local authorities of the Kherson region to the main state-political acts of the period — the Universals of the Central Rada and the reaction to the Temporary Instruction to the General Secretariat of the Provisional Government in Ukraine. During the mentioned period, the Kherson District Meetings, the Regional Congress of Farmers and the Provincial Ukrainian National Congress were held. In general, representatives of these meetings supported the Central Rada and the autonomy of Ukraine. The opposition to the Ukrainian issue was the Kherson Revolutionary Council, the Council of Rural Deputies of the Kherson province, negatively held the Ukrainian congresses, and also opposed the broad representation of national minorities at these meetings. Attention is drawn to the political activity of the city community, in particular, the city government, as well as officials authorized by heads of public institutions of the city. The main directions of activity of national Ukrainian forces are described: Unions of Ukrainian national organizations, “Ukrainian House”, which later became “Enlightenment” and others. It is noted that the Kherson public supported the activities of the Central Rada, demanded the inclusion of the Governorate under the jurisdiction of the General Secretariat, opposing the Provisional Instruction of the Provisional Government. The Ukrainian forces of the Kherson province were at the organizational stage of activity.