Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, often called Soviet Ukraine or just Ukraine, was one of the main parts of the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1991. During this time, it was led by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, which controlled everything through its own special group, the Communist Party of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian SSR began during the Russian Revolution, especially after the Bolshevik Revolution. There were many fights and changes during this time, with different groups trying to control the area. In 1922, it joined with other Soviet areas to form the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union ended in 1991, the Ukrainian SSR became the independent country of Ukraine we know today.

Over the years, the borders of the Ukrainian SSR changed a lot. It grew to include areas where most people were Ukrainian, and sometimes lost areas with other groups of people. Important cities like Kharkov and Kiev served as its capital at different times. Geographically, it was located in Eastern Europe, next to the Black Sea, and touched many other countries and Soviet areas. By 1989, it was the second most populous part of the Soviet Union, with over 51 million people.

Name

History

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, several groups tried to create an independent Ukrainian state. This led to conflicts and the formation of different governments. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was established in December 1917 and became part of the Soviet Union in 1922.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the Soviet government implemented policies that caused severe hardships in Ukraine, including famine and repression. World War II brought further devastation, with Ukraine suffering under both Nazi occupation and Soviet rule. After the war, Ukraine experienced political repression and economic challenges.

In the late 1980s, new policies of openness and reform led to growing calls for independence. By 1991, Ukraine declared independence, marking the end of its time as part of the Soviet Union.

Main article: Modern history of Ukraine

Politics and government

Further information: Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR, Politics of the Soviet Union, and Leaders of Soviet Ukraine

The Ukrainian SSR was governed by a single-party system led by the Communist Party of Ukraine, which was a branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This party held all the real power, with little authority given to official government bodies. Decisions flowed from higher levels of the party down to local authorities.

Originally, legislative power was held by the Congress of Soviets of Ukraine, which later became the Supreme Soviet. The Supreme Soviet could make laws, change the constitution, and manage the country's budget and plans. Though elections were held every five years, candidates were chosen by party leaders, limiting true political change. Later, in the late 1980s, reforms allowed more open elections, leading to the first relatively free elections in March 1990. Many members of a group called the Democratic Bloc were elected, showing growing distrust in the Communist Party and eventually leading to Ukraine's independence in 1991.

Ukraine is the legal successor of the Ukrainian SSR and it stated to fulfill "those rights and duties pursuant to international agreements of Union SSR which do not contradict the Constitution of Ukraine and interests of the Republic" on 5 October 1991. After Ukrainian independence the Ukrainian SSR's parliament was changed from Supreme Soviet to its current name Verkhovna Rada, retaining its status as the country's legislature. Ukraine also has refused to recognize exclusive Russian claims to succession of the Soviet Union and claimed such status for Ukraine as well, which was stated in Articles 7 and 8 of On Legal Succession of Ukraine, issued in 1991. Following independence, Ukraine has continued to pursue claims against the Russian Federation in foreign courts, seeking to recover its share of the foreign property that was owned by the Soviet Union. It also retained its seat in the United Nations, held since 1945.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Ukrainian SSR

The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Though it was part of a federal system, decisions were mostly made in the Kremlin, the capital of the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian SSR was organized into smaller areas called oblasts, or provinces. By 1991, when it became independent, there were 25 oblasts. These provinces were further divided into smaller areas called raions, or districts, totaling 490.

Some cities, like the capital Kiev and Sevastopol, had special status and were directly controlled by the central government of the Ukrainian SSR, not by the surrounding provinces. The way these areas were organized changed many times, especially during and after World War II, as new lands were added or rearranged by Soviet leaders.

Economy

Further information: Economy of the Soviet Union

The economy of Soviet Ukraine started mainly with farming, as most people worked on farms. In the 1920s, new rules were made to help grow the economy, but these rules changed often.

After a big leader named Stalin came to power, he wanted Ukraine to make more heavy goods like steel and coal. This caused hard times for farmers, with many struggling to meet high demands for grain. Sadly, this led to a time when not enough food was available, and many people suffered.

After World War II, Ukraine's farms were still struggling, even though the country had more land to farm on. Farms were organized in big groups, but they often didn’t produce enough food, leading to shortages. In the 1950s, a leader tried planting much more corn, but this didn’t solve the food problems and sometimes made things worse.

Industry grew a lot after the war. By the 1950s, Ukraine was making more goods than before the war, becoming important in making steel, iron, and coal. However, by the 1970s and 1980s, growth slowed down. The government focused more on heavy industry than on things people needed daily, which caused problems. Energy use grew as more people moved to cities, leading to the building of reservoirs and power stations along rivers, including nuclear power plants.

Culture, science and religion

Further information: Religion in the Soviet Union and Russification of Ukraine § Soviet period

In the 1930s, schools in Ukraine began teaching based mostly on Russian history. Many Ukrainian artists and writers faced tough times during this period.

During World War II, leaders began to highlight Ukrainian heroes to inspire people. After the war, the government continued to limit religious freedom, closing many churches and changing some into museums. Still, many people kept their faith.

In later years, there was more freedom to celebrate Ukrainian culture and language. By the late 1980s, many people in Ukraine wanted their own churches back, and some succeeded in getting them reopened.

Demographics

Between 1959 and 1989, the number of people living in Soviet Ukraine grew by 9.6 million, reaching 51.7 million. This made Ukraine the sixth most populated country in Europe, after Russia, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and France. The growth slowed down over time, partly because many people moved there from other parts of the Soviet Union. Birth rates went down while life expectancy went up, which caused the population to age.

Many people moved to cities. In 1959, only 25 cities had more than 100,000 people, but by 1979, there were 49 such cities. Big cities grew fast, too. For example, Kiev nearly doubled in size, from 1.1 million people in 1959 to 2.1 million in 1979. By 1979, most ethnic Ukrainians lived in cities for the first time in history. In 1959, only 37 percent of Ukrainians lived in urban areas, but by 1989, that number grew to 60 percent. Most people worked in factories or offices instead of farms.