Council of People's Ministers

History of national governments of Ukraine (1917-20)
	Ukraine General Secretariat (1917-1918); Council of People's Ministers (1918); Council of Ministers (1918); Council of People's Ministers (1918-1920); This box: ; ; ;

The Council of People's Ministers of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Рада Народних Міністрів УНР) was the main executive institution of the Ukrainian People's Republic. Its duties and functions were outlined in the Chapter V of the Constitution of the Ukrainian People's Republic.

It was reorganized out of the General Secretariat of Ukraine upon the proclamation of the 4th Universal and Independence on January 25, 1918 after the return of the Ukrainian delegation from the preliminary peace talks from Brest-Litovsk. At the preliminary talks in Brest, Ukraine was recognized as an equal-rightful participant and was scheduled to finalized the treaty on February 9, 1918. Until the end of the month January 1918 the member of the former General Secretariat continued to serve as full pledged ministers.

Scope[]

The composition of the council was determined by agreement among the major parties (coalition) and confirming by the plenum of Central Council of Ukraine. The list of proposed members was petitioned by the chairman of the Central Council, Mykhailo Hrushevsky.

Initial composition[]

The former members of secretariat continued to serve now as ministers. The major changes was no introduction of the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and the former secretary of Food Supply Kovalevsky was replaced by Dmytro Koliukh (unaffiliated). Also the Commissioner to the Russian Government was abandoned as well.

Ministry/Position	Name	Party	Remarks
Secretary		unaffiliated
Internal Affairs (chairman)	Volodymyr Vynnychenko	USDRP	three deputies
Finance		USDRP	(acting)
Foreign Affairs	Oleksandr Shulhyn	UPSF
Education	Ivan Steshenko	UPSI	Deputy (UPSF)
Controller	Aleksandr Zolotarev	Jewish Bund
Military Affairs	Mykola Porsh	USDRP	Deputy (UPSR)
Naval Affairs	Dmytro Antonovych	USDRP
Food Supply		unaffiliated
Post and Telegraph		UPSR
Trade and Industry	Vsevolod Holubovych	UPSR
Justice		USDRP
Transport		UPSI
Russian Affairs	Dmitriy Odinets	RRNSP
Polish Affairs	Mieczysław Mickiewicz
Jewish Affairs	Moishe Zilberfarb	Fareynikte

Deputy-Chairman: Ivan Kraskovsky (UPSF), Oleksandr Karpynsk, and L.Abramovych.

The initial coalition was composed Esdeks, SRs, Federalists, and national minorities, however by the end of January a crisis has developed between Esdeks and SRs as the Bolshevik forces of the Soviet Russia were quickly advancing towards Kiev, while the Kiev Bolshevik faction instigated another disorder. Rada issued a note of non-confidence in Vynnechenko's government forcing him to resign on January 30, 1918.

Cabinet of Holubovych (January 31 - April 29, 1918)[]

A new cabinet was composed mostly out of members of the Socialist-Revolutionary party headed by its leader Vsevolod Holubovych. Along with it a special commission was organized to the Brest-Litovsk negotiations. Holubovych's government existed for about three months. One of the major changes to the cabinet was reappointment of the Minister of Military Affairs, with which Mykola Porsh had a lot of trouble.

Ministry/Position	Name	Party	February Replacement
Internal Affairs	Pavlo Khrystiuk	UPSR	(USDRP)
Finance		unaffiliated	Petro Klymovych (unaffiliated)
Foreign Affairs (chairman)	Vsevolod Holubovych	UPSR	Mykola Liubynsky (UPSR)
Education		UPSR	Vyacheslav Prokopovych (UPSF)
Military Affairs		UPSR	O.Zhukovsky (UPSR)
Naval Affairs	Dmytro Antonovych	USDRP	discontinued
Food Supply		UPSR	(unaffiliated)
Post and Telegraph		unaffiliated
Agrarian Affairs		unaffiliated	(UPSR)
Justice		USDRP	(UPSF)
Transport		unaffiliated
Labor			(USDRP)
Trade and Industry			(UPSF)
Controller			Oleksandr Lototsky (UPSF)
Secretary			Pavlo Khrystiuk (UPSR)

Right before the coup d'état (April 29) all members of the Ukrainian Party of Socialists-Federalists left the council.

On April 29 the Central Rada finally adopted its Constitution. In it the Council of People's Ministers was defined as the supreme executive power of the republic. The council was to be formed by the president of the National Assembly in consultation with Council of Starshyna and confirmed by the assembly. The members of the Council of People's Ministers were responsible individually and collectively to the National Assembly.

Council of Ministers (1918)[]

Hetmanate[]

On April 29, 1918, what is believed to be as, an anti-socialist coup d'état brought to power a conservative in his political views former Russian General, a well-respected military specialist throughout the region, an elected Hetman of the Free Cossacks Association, Pavlo Skoropadsky. The Congress of the All-Ukrainian the same day proclaimed him as the Hetman of Ukraine. A well organized coup was supported by the German Armed forces Command that was stationed in the Kiev-city. The historical evaluation of the Skoropadsky's regime that lasted less than year still requires a substantial analysis and a balanced approach. Nonetheless some important milestones in the Ukrainian State Affairs were reached during that period of time.

MANIFESTO TO THE ENTIRE UKRAINIAN NATION
Citizens of Ukraine!
…The rights of a private property as the basis of culture and civilization are to be restored completely, all the directives of the former Ukrainian government as well as the Provisional Russian government are abolished and annulled… On the financial and economic field will be restored the full liberty of trade and will be opened a wide space for the individual entrepreneurship and initiative…

Hetman of All Ukraine
Otaman of Council of Ministers
29 April 1918, Kiev.^[1]

The same day Skoropadsky issued couple edicts: Manifesto to the Entire Ukrainian Nation (author ) and Laws concerning the Provisional State System in Ukraine. Both of those documents became a provisional constitution of the new government. All laws and reforms provided by the Central Rada and the Council of People's Ministers were abolished. All legislative and executive powers were transferred to the hetman who also was recognized as the Commander-in-Chief of the National Armed Forces. The mentioned edicts provided the Council of Ministers with the legislative and executive functions, members of which were appointed by the hetman and solely responsible to him. All decrees and orders of the hetman had to be countersigned by an otaman-minister (prime-minister) or another appropriate minister, while the hetman was to ratify all decision of the council. Civil rights were to be guaranteed within the limits of the law. A supreme court was to be created with the hetman retaining the authority to commute sentences. The name of the country was changed to the Ukrainian State (Ukrainian: Українська Держава).

Vasylenko Government (April 30 - May 4, 1918)[]

Initially was appointed as the acting Prime-Minister, the very next day (April 30) was replaced with another Ukrainian statesman Mykola Vasylenko (Kadet) who went on to a compromise with some socialists composing the government out of moderate Ukrainian parties among which were the Ukrainian Party of Socialist-Federalists (UPSF). However UPSF did not seek to cooperate with the conservative regime of Skoropadsky and was boycotting the sessions of the council. Vasylenko who was acting Otaman-minister could not fully organize the cabinet and performed several ministerial roles as a result of that. In less than a week later his attempt was scratched as well.

Ministry/Position	Name	Party	Remarks
Internal Affairs			(acting)
Finance		Kadet
Foreign Affairs (chairman)	Mykola Vasylenko	Kadet	also Minister of Confessions
Naval Affairs	M.Maksymov
Food Supply	Yuriy Sokolovsky
Health Security
Justice		Kadet
Transport	Boris Butenko
Labor
Trade		Kadet	(real name Izrail Mikhelov)
State Secretary	Gizhytskiy

On May 4 the council was replaced with the Government of Lyzohub.

First Cabinet of Lyzohub (May 4 - October 25, 1918)[]

On May 4 the Otaman-minister Fedir Lyzohub finally was able to compose a working government. During summer some changes were made to the original cabinet. Lyzohub's government lasted for over half a year and was one of the longest existing governments in the revolutionary period. It resigned with the start of the Ukrainian civil war and replaced by the government of Grebel.

Ministry/Position	Name	Party	Replacements
Internal Affairs (chairman)	Fedir Lyzohub	Octobrist	Ihor Kistiakovsky
Finance		Kadet
Foreign Affairs	Dmytro Doroshenko
Education	Mykola Vasylenko	Kadet
Military Affairs	General Rogoza
Naval Affairs	M.Maksymov		(temporary acting)
Food Supply	Yuriy Sokolovsky
Confessions
Agrarian Affairs
Justice		Kadet	A.Romanov
Transport	Boris Butenko
Labor
Health Security
Controller
Secretary			S.Zavadsky

Second Cabinet of Lyzohub (October 25 - November 14, 1918)[]

Pressure from the Ukrainian National Union (UNU) (Battle of Motovilivka) and witnessing that Central Powers were losing ground (Bulgaria armistice Sep.29, Ottoman Empire - Oct.30) forced the Skoropadsky's regime to start negotiations to broaden his base of support. The Union demanded eight ministerial portfolios, the convocation of a diet, end of censorship and restriction on freedom of speech. Although no compromise was found, five members of the Union agreed to join the Council of Ministers on October 25.

Ministry/Position	Name	Party	Remarks
Internal Affairs			(temporary)
Finance		Kadet
Foreign Affairs	Dmytro Doroshenko
Education	Petro Stebnytsky	UNU	(UPSF)
Military Affairs	General Rogoza
Food Supply
Confessions	Oleksandr Lototsky	UNU	(UPSF)
Agrarian Affairs		UNU	(unaffiliated)
Justice		UNU	(UPSF)
Transport	Boris Butenko
Labor	Maksym Slavinsky	UNU	(UPSF)
Health Security
Trade and Industry
Controller	S.Petrov
Secretary	S.Zavadsky

Gerbel's Cabinet (November 14 - December 14, 1918)[]

The final capitulation of the Central Powers on November 11, 1918 and withdrawal of the German-Austrian contingent from the territory of Ukraine forced Skopropadsky dramatically change his policy and on November 14, 1918 he proclaimed a federal union with the forces of non-Bolshevik Russia (Russian Republic). Fedir Lyzohub resigned from the government and the council was reorganized under the former minister of food supply Sergei Gerbel. The federation with Russian triggered a full-scale uprising which turned into a month-long warfare led by the Directorate of Ukraine.

Ministry/Position	Name	Party	Remarks
Internal Affairs
Finance		Kadet
Foreign Affairs	Georgiy Afanasyev
Education and Arts	Volodymyr Naumenko	UPSF
Military Affairs	D.Shchutsky
Naval Affairs	Admiral		Captain Nov.26
Food Supply	G.Glinka
Confessions
Agrarian Affairs (chairman)
Justice
Transport	V.Laindeberg
Labor
Health Security
Trade and Industry
Controller	S.Petrov

On December 14, 1918 the Council of Ministers surrendered its powers and Skoropadsky abdicated. Several ministers were arrested, while Skoropadsky fled to Germany.

Chekhivsky's Cabinet (December 26, 1918 - February 13, 1919)[]

Between December 15–25 there was a stand off between the Revolutionary Committee in Kiev and the Temporary Council of State Affairs (TRZDS) in Vinnytsia. It took couple of weeks before the new government was formed on December 26. The head of the new cabinet became Volodymyr Chekhivsky. Chekhivsky's government together with the government of Ostapenko altogether lasted for two and a half months. During this period the Ukrainian national forces were almost completely eliminated controlling a miser territory near Rivne–Brody. Both of the governments had also to deal with a series of military revolts against them and were unable to control the situation in the country. They were finally replaced with the Martos-Mazepa government that throughout summer of 1919 were in control of the Podillia territory near Kamyanets.

Ministry/Position	Name	Party	Remarks
Secretary	I.Snizhko		Mykhailo Korchynsky (UPSF)
Internal Affairs		UPSR
Finance		USDRP
Foreign Affairs (chairman)	Volodymyr Chekhivsky	USDRP
Education		UPSF	Ivan Ohiienko (UPSF)
Controller		UPSI
Defense	General Osetsky		General Hrekov
Naval Affairs	Admiral
Food Supply	Borys Martos	USDRP
Post and Telegraph	I.Shtefan	UPSR
Trade and Industry	Serhiy Ostapenko	UPSR
Justice		UPSF
Transport		UNRP
Agrarian Affairs		UPSR
Religious Confessions		UPSI
Arts	Dmytro Antonovych	USDRP
Health Security		USDRP
Labor		USDRP
Press and Propaganda		UPSR
Jewish Affairs	Abraham Revutsky	Poale Zion

During this time the Ukrainian nationalists were losing their war against Bolshevik Russia and their puppet-state Ukrainian SSR. On February 5, 1919 the Ukrainian government was forced out of Kiev once again and relocated to Vinnytsia. On February 13 a new government, consisting of non-socialist members, was formed in order to convince the representatives of the Entente to provide some military support in the fight with Bolsheviks. The same day Volodymyr Vynnychenko resigned from the Directorate of Ukraine and emigrated abroad.

Ostapenko's Cabinet (February 13 - April 9, 1919)[]

The head of the new cabinet became Serhiy Ostapenko who quit the Ukrainian Party of Socialist Revolutionaries. Along with him left the SR party Osyp Nazaruk.

Ministry/Position	Name	Party	Remarks
Secretary		UPSF
Internal Affairs	H.Chyzhevsky	UNRP
Finance		UPSI
Foreign Affairs		UPSF
Education	Ivan Ohiienko	UPSF
Controller		UPSI
Defense		UPSI
Naval Affairs	Admiral
National Economy		UPSF	Deputy Premier
Justice
Transport		UNRP
Agrarian Affairs		UNRP
Religious Confessions		UPSI
Health Security
Press and Propaganda

The unsuccessful dialogue with the representatives of the Entente led to dismissal of the Ostapenko's Cabinet.

References[]

^ Decree of Hetman Skoropadsky (in Ukrainian)

External links[]

Encyclopedia of Ukraine (in English)

Bibliography[]

Khrystiuk, P. Zamitky i materiially do istoriï ukraïns’koï revoliutsiï 1917–1920 rr., vol 2 (Notes and materials to the history of the Ukrainian Revolution 1917-1920, vol.2)(Vienna 1921, New York 1969)
Doroshenko, D. Istoriia Ukraïny 1917–1923 rr., vol 1: Doba Tsentral’noï Rady (History of Ukraine 1917-1923, vol.1: Times of the Central Council) (Uzhhorod 1932, New York 1954)
Pidhainy, O. The Formation of the Ukrainian Republic (Toronto–New York 1966)
Zozulia, Ia. (ed). Velyka Ukraïns’ka revoliutsiia: Kalendar istorychnykh podii za liutyi 1917 roku–berezen’ 1918 roku (The Great Ukrainian Revolution: Calendar of historic activities from February 1917 to March 1918) (New York 1967)
Reshetar Jr, J. The Ukrainian Revolution, 1917–1920: A Study in Nationalism (Princeton 1952, New York 1972)
Hunczak, T. (ed). The Ukraine, 1917–1921: A Study in Revolution (Cambridge, Mass 1977)
Verstiuk, V. (ed.) Ukraïns’ka Tsentral’na Rada: dokumenty i materiially v dvokh tomakh (The Ukrainian Central Council: documents and materials in two volumes) (Kiev 1996–7)
Hunczak, T. The Ukraine, 1917-1921: A Study in Revolution. Cambridge, MA, 1977.

[1] Decree of Hetman Skoropadsky (in Ukrainian)

[1]

v t All Cabinets of Ukraine*
Ukrainian People's Republic (1917–20)	Vynnychenko I (1917) Vynnychenko II (1917–18) Holubovych (1918) Vasylenko (1918) Lyzohub (1918) Gerbel (1918) (1919) (1919) (1919) (1920) (1920) (1920)
Ukrainian SSR (1917–91)	People's Secretariat (1917–18) Provisional Workers' and Peasants' Government (1918–19) Rakovsky I Revolutionary Committee (1919–20) (1920–23) (1923–34) (1934–37) (1937–38) (1938–39) (1939–44) (1944–47) (1948–54) (1954–57) (1957–61) (1961–63) (1963–65) (1965–68) (1968–72) Lyashko I (1972–76) (1976–81) (1981–86) (1987–90)
Ukraine (1991–present)	Fokin (1990–92) Kuchma (1992–93) Masol II (1994–95) (1995–96) (1996–97) Pustovoitenko (1997–99) Yushchenko (1999–2001) Kinakh (2001–02) Yanukovych I (2002–04) Tymoshenko I (2005) Yekhanurov (2005–06) Yanukovych II (2006–07) Tymoshenko II (2007–10) Azarov I (2010–12) Azarov II (2012–14) Yatsenyuk I (2014) Yatsenyuk II (2014–16) Groysman (2016–19) Honcharuk (2019–20) Shmyhal (2020–present)
*Acting cabinets not included