The consequences of Bolshevik Russia aggression into Ukraine in late 1917 -early 1918 on Ukrainian People Republic (UPR) zemstvos are analysed. The UPR was proclaimed by the Central Council on 7 November 1917 as autonomy in the "democratic Russia" in response to the violent takeover by the Bolsheviks in Petrograd. However, Russia's Bolshevik government launched direct aggression against the UPR. At its territories where Bolsheviks seized power they transferred power to the councils they

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... ed. Local governments -zemstvos -existing here -were regarded by them as incompatible with the objectives of the socialist revolution and establishing the dictatorship of the proletariat. Typically, the Bolsheviks eliminated zemstvos leaders from their positions, and dissolved rural assemblies. However, the Councils did not have their management personnel, so they could not cope with the organization of the local economy. Therefore, Bolsheviks allowed zemstvos to exist in order to use their administrative apparatus, but only under their control. However, the "revolutionary expediency" very soon prevailed over common sense and zemstvos as local population authorities were eliminated.