This week in history

December 11: 1917. The First All-Ukrainian (rump) Congress of Soviets began in Kharkiv (after fleeing Kyiv), proclaiming Ukraine a Soviet republic on December 25.

1991. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed a resolution on establishing diplomatic relations with the former Soviet states.

December 12. Day of Ukraine’s Land Forces.

1818. The Poltava Institute of Young Noble Ladies was opened.

1988. The maiden flight of the An-225 Mriya transport plane took place.

December 13: 1917. The Ukrainian troops disarmed the pro- Bolshevik regiments of the Kyiv garrison, whose members were later deported.

1918. An uprising began in Kyiv against the Hetman power. Directory military forces entered the city.

December 14: 1932. The Politburo in Moscow blamed Communists in Ukraine and the North Caucasus for failure to meet grain quotas because they were “infiltrated” by Ukrainian nationalists and other “enemies,” and ended Ukrainization.

1935 . The Kyiv Operetta Theater was opened.

1941. The Nazis started arresting representatives of the OUN (Melnyk) in Kyiv.

December 15: 1932. The KP(b)U Central Committee decided to ban the sale of all goods in eighty-two regions that had not met the state grain procurement plan.

2000. The Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station ceased producing electric power.

December 16: 1917. Russia’s Council of People’s Commissars adopted its Manifesto to the People of Ukraine with the Ultimatum to the Ukrainian Rada threatening to declare declared war against Ukraine in 48 hours.

1922. The All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee approved a decision to create the Supreme Court of the Ukrainian SSR.

December 17: 1897. The first railway engine was constructed at the Kharkiv Railway Engines Plant.

1918. By a decision of the Directory Hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky was proclaimed an outlaw.