1917-1919

1917 17 March
Creation of the Ukrainian Central Rada (Council) headed by Mykhailo Hrushevsky.
17-21 April
The All-Ukrainian National Congress takes place in Kyiv, approving demands for national-territorial autonomy for Ukraine and the rebuilding of Russia into a federated democratic republic.
28 June
The Central Rada creates the General Secretariat, an executive organ headed by Volodymyr Vynnychenko.
27 October
The General Secretariat of the Ukrainian Central Rada approves an announcement proclaiming that it will decisively fight attempts to support the Bolsheviks' coup in Petrograd.
20 November
Third Universal of the Ukrainian Central Rada, the proclamation of the Ukrainian National Republic (UNR).
17 December
The Bolshevik Council of People's Commissars approves the “Manifesto to the Ukrainian People with an Ultimatum to the Ukrainian Rada.”
17-19 December
The All-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets of Workers', Soldiers', and Peasants' Deputies convokes in Kyiv and proclaims its support for the Central Rada; in Kharkiv the Bolsheviks convene an alternative congress, proclaiming Ukraine a Soviet republic.
December
Creation of the Bolshevik army headquarters (Southern Front) in Kharkiv, under Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko's command. 1918 7 January
Beginning of Antonov-Ovseenko's offensive against the Central Rada.
22 January
The Ukrainian Central Rada issues the Fourth Universal, proclaiming the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine.
29 January
The Battle of Kruty between the Bolshevik army of M.Muravev and a small Ukrainian contingent.
29 April
The Ukrainian Central Rada approves the Constitution of the Ukrainian National Republic. The Hetman coup, Pavlo Skoropadsky proclaimed hetman of the Ukrainian state.
5-12 July
The Communist Party (Bolshevik) of Ukraine founded in Moscow.
19 November
Beginning of the Directory's uprising against the Hetman government.
13 December
The army of the Directory enters Kyiv. 1919 16 January
The Directory declares war on Bolshevik Russia.
11 February
Symon Petliura succeeds as president of the Directory of the UNR.
April-May
Partisan otamans (warlords) Danylo Zeleny and Matvii Hryhoriiv wage an armed struggle against the Bolsheviks.
15 September
The Directory transfers all its rights to Symon Petliura.
7 November
The beginning of the Bolsheviks' third offensive against Ukraine.
4 December
Meeting of the members of the UNR government and commanders of the UNR in Chortoryi, the decision to continue the struggle against the Bolsheviks in the form of a partisan war.
16 December
The Bolsheviks capture Kyiv.

Gubernial (provincial), county, and transport branches of the Extraordinary Commission to Combat Counterrevolution and Sabotage [CheKa] were created throughout 1918. Milita-ry CheKas were formed in Red Army units, which in January 1919 were transformed into special departments. The All-Ukrainian Extra-ordinary Commission to Combat Counterre-volution, Speculation, and Official Crimes (VUChK) was created in Ukraine. The All-Ru-ssian Cheka (VCheKa) coordinated the activi-ty of local Cheka organs, while members of the Collegium of the VCheKa occasionally headed local Cheka branches. The Cheka ar-mies were under the control of the VCheKa.

"The CheKa should be the organ of the Central Committee, otherwise it will degradate into a small police service or an organ of the Counterrevolution"

(Feliks Dzerzhinsky)

A considerable number of crimes committed by Chekists mostly in Ukrainian cities during the Red Army's advance or withdrawal in 1918-1920 are documented. One of the most horrific mass executions took place in Kyiv in 1919, when the Chekists executed no fewer than 12,000 people. It is estimated that in all the VCheKa executed more than 50,000 people. In carrying out its repressive-punitive actions, the VCheKa actively resorted to the use of hostages, a modus operandi introduced by an order issued by People's Commissar of Internal Affairs RSFSR Hryhorii Petrovsky in March 1918. There also existed a system of “respondents,” whereby individuals selected from the general population were obliged to inform the Bolshevik organs about links between the local population and those who opposed the Communists and about preparations of any kind of opposition to the regime. If the “respondents” failed to report, they were subjected to the same repressions that were meted out to hostages. In fact, terrorist actions directed against peasants and Ukrainian insurgents constituted the principal actions of the Chekists in 1920-1922 in Ukraine.