Historical Dictionary of the Russian Civil Wars, 1916-1926

Although its social and economic policies were a failure, as a consequence of resistance from the peasantry, notably in southeastern Ukraine (where the forces of Nestor Makhno were burgeoning) and along the mid-Dnepr (where Iurii Tiutiunnyk had his base), the Hetman government achieved some successes in diplomacy, establishing diplomatic relations with the Central Powers and several neutral countries and strengthening relations with the Kuban Cossack Host and the Don Cossack Host. In accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (3 March 1918), the Ukrainian State was even formally (albeit reluctantly) recognized by the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, with which it signed a preliminary peace treaty on 12 June 1918. It also established the Ukrainian state universities of Kiev and Kamenets-Podol′skii, the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, a national library (today the Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine), a national archive, a state museum and a state music and drama institute in Kiev. It also “Ukrainianized” all schools and made the teaching of Ukrainian language, history, and geography compulsory. In addition, it built a reasonably effective Ukrainian Army (although the sympathies of its officers were often more pro-Russian or pro-UNR than pro-Hetman).

From its very beginnings, the Ukrainian State was opposed by most Ukrainian political organizations. Ukrainian nationalists despised its pro-Russian orientation (symbolized by the predominance of Kadets and Octobrists in its administration) and its subservience to Germany, while socialists condemned its reactionary policies, particularly with regard to the repeal of land reform (although that was forced upon Skoropadskii by the Germans). Over the late summer of 1918, as it became increasingly obvious that the Central Powers would lose the world war, Skoropadskii began negotiations with the opposition, united in the Ukrainian National Union (UNU), offering them cabinet posts, guarantees of freedom of speech, and (in a manifesto of 22 October 1918) a pledge to uphold the independence of Ukraine and to summon a national parliament. On 24 October 1918, a new cabinet, representing a compromise between Ukrainian nationalist and pro-Russian forces, was created: Fedir Lyzohub, premier; Dmytro Doroshenko, foreign affairs; Aleksandr Rogoza, military affairs; V. Reinbot, internal affairs (acting); Antin Rzhepetsky, finance; Oleksander Lototsky (UNU), religious affairs; Petro Stebnytsky (UNU), education; Volodymyr M. Leontovych (UNU), agriculture; Sergei Gerbel′, food supply; Andrii Viazlov (UNU), justice; Maksym Slavinsky (UNU), labor; Sergei Mering, trade and industry; B. Butenko, communications; Vsevolod Liubynsky, health; S. Petrov, state controller; and S. Zavadskii, state secretary. However, when the Central Powers finally capitulated to the Allies, Skoropadskii changed tack and appointed a new cabinet on 14 November 1918 that was purged of UNU elements and packed with mostly Russian monarchists: premier and minister of agriculture, Sergei Gerbel′; external affairs, Iurii Afanasev; army, D. Shchutskii; navy, Andrii Pokrovskii; internal affairs, Ihor Kistiakovskii; education, Volodymyr Naumenko; religious affairs, Mykhailo Voronovych; finance, Antin Rzhepetskii; communication, V. Liandeberg; trade, Sergei Mering; justice, V. Reinbot; health, Vsevolod Liubynskii; labor, Volodymyr Kosynskii; food supply, G. Glinka; and state controller, S. Petrov. At the same time, Skoropadskii was further alienating Ukrainians by touting an alliance with the Volunteer Army. This only served to hasten the speed with which the regime was overthrown by the forces of the Ukrainian National Republic Directory, supported by the Sich Riflemen, on 14 December 1918, as the Central Powers withdrew from the region under the terms of the armistice of 11 November 1918.

The chairmen of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian State were Mykola Illich Sakhno-Ustymovych (29–30 April 1918); Mykola Prokopovych Vasylenko (30 April–10 May 1918); Fedir Andriiovych Lyzohub (10 May–14 November 1918); and S. N. Gerbel′ (14 November–14 December 1918).