@kravietz@agora.echelon.pl There is another, very common (and very annoying) myth — "Ukraine was invented by Vladimir Lenin in 1922", repeated even by Putin in his speeches prior to 2022 invasion. They say that on territories of modern Ukraine there were living different types of Russians speaking some polonized dialects of Russian, and there were no reasons for such country to exist, but kind Lenin, because he supported right for self-determination of nations, drew borders on map and created Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. And these people forget about a thing called Ukrainian People's Republic.
(warning — long text)
After February Revolution in 1917 and creation of Russian Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet (Bolsheviks), many national and regional organizations and governments began to appear across all the former Russian Empire. Ukraine was not an exeption — in March Ukrainians created the Central Rada (led by Volodymyr Vynnychenko and Mykhailo Hrushevsky), at first surprising, but later gaining recognition from both Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet. Provisional Government allowed creation of Ukrainian Autonomy, but it only got northern part of Ukraine, which led to tense relations between Government and Rada (although this question was postponed until end of World War I).
After October Revolution, Central Rada proclaimed Third Universal, which declared autonomy of Ukrainian People's Republic as part of Russian Federation (theoretically led by already overthrown Provisional Government). Petrograd Soviet at first recognized autonomy of Ukraine and it's right for self-determination, but later blamed Central Rada for revoking Ukrainian army units from "united" frontline (which already was in chaos by that time), disarming of Soviet forces in Ukraine, and supporting (actually being neutral to) anti-Bolshevik insurgency led by Alexey Kaledin in Kuban. When Rada ignored the ultimatum, Soviet Russia declared war against Ukrainian People's Republic on December 21st, 1917.
Since Ukraine was barely able to make resistance (many people in Rada really believed that they can easy make peace with Bolsheviks, and they don't need hundreds of thousands Ukrainian soldiers, so they were demobilized) and Bolsheviks captured Kyiv, Ukrainian delegation out of desperation joined peace talks between Soviet Russia and Central Powers. When Soviet Russia left peace talks with no result, Ukraine made a deal with Central Powers on February 9th, 1918 — they give weapons and help Ukraine reconquer territories, while Ukraine gives grain and other foods in exchange. Until Juny Ukrainian People's Republic with German and Austro-Hungarian aid reconquered the territories and made peace with Soviet Russia.
At the same time, on April 29th, a coup happened in Ukraine, Central Rada was deposed, and Pavlo Skoropadsky (supported by Germans) was installed as Hetman. But Skoropadsky reverted some reforms of Central Rada and quickly lost support of people.
After end of World War I in November 1918 and retreat of Central Powers armies, Entente was going to bring troops in Ukraine and temporarily take control over it (in Caucasus too), but Soviet Russia began second war against UPR (and Entente took only small part on south). As Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, West Ukrainian People's Republic declared independence, and Poland immediately began war against it (since Józef Piłsudski wanted to restore Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). At the same time Pavlo Skoropadsky resigned, and Ukrainian Directory took power. Directory sent note of protest to Petrograd Soviet, but they responded that "there are no Russian forces in Ukraine, UPR is fighting against Provisional Worker's and Peasant's Government of Ukraine" (which was founded in Moscow).
The second Soviet-Ukrainian war lasted much longer, as well as Polish-Ukrainian. On January 22nd 1919, UPR and WUPR merged into one state. Ukraine managed to hold Bolsheviks and Poles, but with time it was losing more and more territory. Eventually Ukrainian Army ended up in so-called Death Triangle — they were surrounded on territories around Vinnytsia and Khmelnytsky by Bolsheviks from North, White Army of Denikin from South-East, and Poles from West. Ukrainian Army had no supply, barely any ammunition left, and many soldiers got typhus. Because of that Ukrainian Army had to negotiate and then move to Poland and lay arms down in December 1919.
Symon Petliura (Ukrainian Army supreme commander, by that time de-facto head of state), out of desperation, on April 22nd 1920 signed peace deal with Poland, ceded Western Ukraine, and in exchange Poland joined Ukraine in war against Soviet Russia. Petliura was blamed for that, but he answered there were no other choices. In May joint Ukrainian-Polish forces managed to recapture Kyiv, but by September Bolsheviks were coming to Warsaw, and after Miracle of Warsaw frontlines ended up in same position as in December. On October 18th Poland signed peace with Soviet Russia, and in November Ukrainian Army had to retreat to Poland again. Ukraine ended up split between USSR Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia.
Some Ukrainian units tried to perform First and Second Winter Campaigns and raise an uprising in Ukraine, but both failed. Some partisan movements and rebellions (so-called Kholodny Yar Republic, Medvyn rebellion, Mliyiv rebellion, Chorny Lis Republic, Boryspil rebellion) lasted until 1921-1923.
And then they tell us, that Russians and Ukrainians are the same people who always were together.
Also, a map to compare area where Ukrainians lived in 1897 with borders drawn by "kind" Lenin and Stalin.
