The Anti-Hetman Uprising ( or ) was a 1918 uprising and brief civil war against the government of the Ukrainian State, led by Pavlo Skoropadskyi. Led by former Prime Minister Volodymyr Vynnychenko and Sich Riflemen commander Symon Petliura, the uprising brought together groups from throughout Ukraine in opposition to Skoropadskyi's proposed unification of Ukraine and Russia in an effort to garner support from the Allies of World War I.
Background
Lieutenant general of the Ukrainian People's Army Pavlo Skoropadskyi launched a coup d'état on 29 April 1918, with the support of the country's landowners and farmers, as well as the German Empire. The Central Rada that preceded Skoropadskyi's government was regarded in German and conservative circles as ineffective and dysfunctional, owing to its small security forces, insistence on radical land reforms, and poor economic conditions. In the days prior to the coup d'état, Germany–Ukraine relations had been seriously damaged by conflicts between the Central Rada and German occupational authorities over legal matters. The Ukrainian People's Republic was abolished and replaced by the Ukrainian State, with Skoropadskyi as hetman.
Skoropadskyi's government, while initially popular, found itself unable to resolve matters of land reform. Skoropadskyi's conservative efforts also proved unpopular with the Ukrainian peasantry, who were largely landless. By the spring of 1918, an insurgency had begun, led by former members of the Central Rada. Additionally, German and Austro-Hungarian forces occupying Ukraine had lost much of the popularity they had in 1918, a result of frequent violent acts committed by occupational troops.
After the defeat of Germany and Austria-Hungary in World War I, Skoropadskyi's government was isolated, with the Allied Powers intent on supporting the restoration of the Russian Republic within its borders prior to the outbreak of the Russian Civil War. In an effort to appease the Allies and open the door for further support, Skoropadskyi signed the , which stipulated that Ukraine would be part of Russia as an autonomous unit.
The response within Ukraine was overwhelmingly negative, including among Skoropadskyi's supporters. As a result of the Federal Charter's signing, the Directorate of Ukraine, an underground group led by former Prime Minister Volodymyr Vynnychenko, launched an uprising with the intent of restoring the Ukrainian People's Republic. This was followed on 15 November 1918 by the distribution of anti-Hetmanate leaflets throughout Kyiv, Ukraine's capital.
Events
On 16 November 1918, the uprising began with a rebellion of the Sich Riflemen in the city of Bila Tserkva. The city's police force was disarmed, and the Sich Riflemen, led by Symon Petliura, took over the city. From there, Directorate forces battled with Hetmanate troops at the Battle of Motovilivka, which would result in a decisive Directorate victory on 18 November and the capture of Vasylkiv. also defected from the government to the Directorate, bringing Podolia Governorate under the Directorate's control.
In response to the uprising, Skoropadskyi declared martial law, and mobilised all troops to quell the rebellion. However, Hetmanate forces were troubled by mass defections to the Directorate, particularly within the Podolia Governorate. The Podolia Corps' arsenal was used to arm pro-Directorate insurgents, as well as providing air support to the Directorate's soldiers. The Directorate also suffered from problems of its own in terms of reigning in insurgent commanders, many of whom were effectively independent from the Directorate. These commanders (namely Nykyfor Hryhoriv, and Danylo Terpylo, and Volodymyr Oskilko) were effectively warlords, operating in a fashion known as .
Throughout November, the Directorate took control of most of Ukraine, leading to an attempt to capture Kyiv in December. After Directorate forces were decisively defeated by remaining German forces, it was instead determined to lay siege to Kyiv until the city fell. The , under the command of Yevhen Konovalets, eventually took the city after two weeks and an uprising by Directorate forces. Seeing that his government was collapsing, Skoropadskyi chose to , fleeing to Germany. The remaining government surrendered to the Directorate the next day.