The Liquidation of the Hetmanate

Catherine II finished the work that her predecessors had begun in Ukraine. Although Catherine was German, she became an active promoter of Russification and centralization policies. She understood that these policies led to the unification of the empire and to the growth of her own power and prestige.

After the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-74 the Crimean Khanate got under Russia’s control. There was no need any more to have the Zaporozhian Sich and the Hetmanate as a barrier against the Tatar-Turkish threat. Thus, the Sich was destroyed in 1775.³⁵ The despotic nature of the Russian empire could not tolerate such semi-independent institution as the Sich. Catherine II even tried to wipe the word “Zaporozhian Cossack” from popular memory as it was a symbol of freedom and disorder.³⁶ When she announced the liquidation of the Sich, she warned that “the use of the word ‘Zaporozhian Cossack’ shall be considered by us as an insult to our imperial majesty”.

The turn of Ukrainian autonomy (the Hetmanate) came in 1781. In the place of Ukrainian autonomy, three provinces (those of Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Novhorod-Siversky) were established. These were similar in size and organization to the thirty other provinces of the empire. In 1783 the Ukrainian peasants were finally enserfed.³⁷

The Ukrainian starshyna benefited from the changes. The peasants were finally placed under their total control. The starshyna was also equalized in rights with the Russian nobility. After receiving the status of the Russian nobility the former starshyna was exempted from taxes, civil service, and military service. Great career opportunities opened before the new nobles. Some of them obtained the most influential posts in the imperial government in St Petersburg. For these reasons, the leadership of the former Hetmanate accepted the liquidation of its autonomy without complaints. Ukraine became an ordinary Russian province.

The attachment of Crimea to the Russian empire ended the threat of devastating Tatar attacks. The former Wild Field was given a new name Novorossiya (New Russia) and was opened for colonization. Offering cheap land, religious toleration and exemption from military service and taxes, the Russian government attracted people from all over Europe to southern Ukraine. Many different nationalities settled Novorossiya: Russians, Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Serbs, Moldavians, Greeks, Arme­nians; Jews, and especially Germans.³⁸ The attachment of Crimea to the Russian Empire also stimulated trade with countries of the Middle East and Asia Minor. Ukraine’s economy benefited from these changes.

Historical meaning of the Hetmanate

For almost a century the Hetmanate, a Ukrainian autonomous state, was the center of political life of Ukraine. Though Russia controlled Ukraine’s external relations and military campaigns, and also constantly interfered into its domestic affairs, the socio-economic policy of the Hetmanate was carried out mostly by Ukrainians; they held key positions in government, court, finances and the army.

Ukraine’s self-government contributed to the development of the Ukrainian nation and its elite that was proud of their traditions. The example of the Hetmanate inspired generations of Ukrainians to create their own independent state.