Political Aspect of Army Ukrainization Process of the Central Council Period

Abstract

The problem of military building during the Ukrainian national revolution of 1917-1918 hasbeen investigated in the article. The attitude of Ukrainian political parties of the Central Council period towards the elemental Ukrainization process of imperial Russian army military bases has been exposed. Different vision of place and role of the Ukrainian army in a state-creative process stipulated the creation of two diametrically opposite conceptions of Ukrainian armed forces formation. An attempt to implement these conceptions into life resulted in political opposition between the Ukrainian national parties that weakened the Ukrainian national movement. The opposition between the parties made the creation of a battle-worthy Ukrainian army impossible because the army had to protect the sovereignty of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. The absence of own army deprived Ukrainians the opportunity to defend independence and self-reliance of the state from encroachments of external enemies.

Keywords: national revolution, army Ukrainization, Ukrainian People’s Party, Ukrainian SocialDemocratic Labour Party, M.Mikhnovskyi, S.Petliura, Independists’ statement