Ukraine commemorates the Heroes of Kruty

Source: Bukvy

On January 29, Ukraine commemorates the Heroes of Kruty – Ukrainian students who, at the cost of their lives, stopped the Bolshevik attack on Kyiv in 1918.

At the end of December 1917, the government of Soviet Russia began open aggression against the Ukrainian People’s Republic. The Bolsheviks did not agree with Ukraine’s declaration of independence.

The Ukrainian military command expected the Bolsheviks to attack from the direction of Poltava, so the most combat-ready units were directed there. However, the offensive began from the other side.

The military unit consisting of the students of Kyiv University defended the railway station of Kruty, 130 km to the north of Kyiv. The Russian offensive was stopped.

On February 9, 1918, the Brest Peace Treaty was signed, according to which the Ukrainian People’s Republic was recognized as an independent state.