This week in history

December 17: 1897. The first steam engine was produced at the Kharkiv Steam-Locomotive Building Plant.

1917. The All-Ukrainian Congress of Workers, Soldiers, and Peasants’ Deputies started its work, supporting the Ukrainian Central Rada.

December 18: 1942. Ukraine’s liberation form Nazi troops started with delivering the village of Pivnivka.

1957. The CPU Central Committee and Council of Ministers of Ukrainian SSR passed a resolution On Creating Special Scholarly Editorial Board for Preparing and Publishing the Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia.

December 19: 1959. The Council of Ministers of Ukrainian SSR approved a decision On Creating Yaroslav Halan Memorial Museum in Lviv.

1990. The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine registered the Organization of Soldiers’ Mothers of Ukraine.

December 20: 1616. The first dated book was published at the Kyiv Pechersk printing shop.

1906. Taras Shevchenko’s Kobzar was first published in Russian.

December 21: 1944. The Council to Assist Western Oblasts was founded as a part of the government of Ukrainian SSR.

1991. A declaration of CIS member states was ratified in Almaty.

December 22: 1917. The Soviet power was established in Kharkiv.

1972. The Bila Tserkva Tire and General Mechanical Rubber Goods Plant was put into operation.

December 23: 1873. The Taras Shevchenko Literature Society (since 1892 — Taras Shevchenko Scientific Society) was founded in Lviv.

1970. With putting into operation the new Melitopol-Simferopol electrified section the electrification of the Leningrad-Moscow-the Crimea railroad was completed.