Thread by @MargoGontar

Bilhorod (the real name of Belgorod ) was a Ukrainian city once - up until russian Bolsheviks army entered it in 1918 and in 1919 made it part of russia

Quick history thread 🧵

When russian empire collapsed in 1917, question arose abt borders of new national states. Ukraine claimed territory inhabited mainly by Ukrainians while Bolsheviks wanted to seize the entire territory of former empire

📸 railway station in Bilhorod,1918/source: istorychna pravda

In villages of "adjacent" territories, councils began to gather to decide which state they should join. Some villages voted for Ukraine, some - for Belarus. Then similar decisions were made by city councils and etc,

📸 Holy Trinity Men Monastery, 1918/ source: istorychna pravda

At the Ukrainian-Russian peace talks in the summer of 1918, the Bolshevik Khristiyan Rakovsky stated that they received as much as one telegram in support of the Soviet government from the Kursk province, which included Bilhorod.

source: istorychna pravda

On April 10, 1918, city was liberated from russian Bolsheviks . Ukrainian authorities established in Bilhorod. City and area around it were added to Ukraine’s State

Volodymyr Kukol-Jasnopolskyi (on a 📸) was appointed as district head. In Bilhorod, customs office and border "watch point" were opened, Ukrainian subjects and teaching in UA language introduced in schools. UA-language press appeared in press kiosks. State Guard was working.

Several times Bolsheviks tried to capture Bilhorod. But quickly retreated.

after accumulating forces, russians resumed offensive. On December 10, district head began evacuation of district deep into Ukraine. On Dec 20, 1918, UA forces left Bilhorod and RU entered the city.

This is the map of Ukraine’s State dated 1918 that includes Bilhorod (that russia invaded and made Belgorod)

map was kept in the family archive of Holubchenko family in Sumy. In August 2005, family transferred the map to State Archives of the Sumy Region for safekeeping.