Detachable Subdivision
"Rivne Professional College of
National University of Life
and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine"
On January 29, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Remembrance of the Heroes of Krut. On this day, we pay tribute to the resilience and courage of young men who, like today's defenders of Ukraine, stood up for the defense of the Ukrainian state and stopped the attacker.
In late December 1917, the government of Soviet Russia launched open aggression against the Ukrainian People's Republic. The Bolsheviks were irritated by Ukraine's declaration of independence, so Moscow created a separate "Ukrainian Red Government" in Kharkiv, which declared war on the independent part of the state.
In December 1917, the Bakhmach station in Chernihiv region – an important railway junction on the border of the UNR and Russia – was guarded by a detachment of the First Ukrainian Military School named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky. In early 1918, they received reinforcements from Kyiv – the 1st Kurenya hundred of Sich Riflemen students. These were students of the Ukrainian People’s University, the Kyiv University of St. Volodymyr (now named after Taras Shevchenko). They took up defense near the Kruty station – between Nizhyn and Bakhmach, 130 km from Kyiv.
On the morning of January 29, 1918, the Bolsheviks began their offensive on Kruty station. From the Ukrainian side, 300-600 fighters participated in the battle near Kruty. The battle lasted several hours. In order to avoid encirclement, the Ukrainian troops were ordered to retreat. Then, while retreating, part of the student company became surrounded. The platoon lost its bearings at dusk and reached Kruty station, which had already been occupied by the Red Army. About 30 young men were taken prisoner, tortured, and then executed.
In the battle near Kruty, Ukrainian troops carried out the order of the command - the Bolshevik offensive was stopped. It was during these days that negotiations between the UNR and the countries of the Quadruple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria) continued. It was important that at that time the Ukrainian capital was under the control of the Central Rada - the delay of the Bolsheviks near Kruty allowed this to be done.
On February 9, 1918, the Brest Peace Treaty was signed - the UNR was recognized as an independent state, and the army received support from the German and Austro-Hungarian armies in the fight against the Bolsheviks.
The Battle of Kruty is a tragic and important event in the history of our country, reminiscent of the struggle for Ukraine's independence. History repeats itself - today we continue to defend against the Russian invasion.
A thematic book exhibition has been opened in the library and information center. We invite you to take a look.
Source: https://www.unian.ua/society/den-pam-yati-gerojiv-krut-data-istoriya-znachennya-12125199.html
Svitlana ANDRIYCHUK,
Lead Librarian of the BIC
