The Polubotok Club Affair was an important national civil affair and an armed revolt of the Kiev garrison troops that took place on July 17–18, 1917 in Kiev soon after the collapse of the Kerensky Offensive. It was part of a Ukrainian military movement, one of key roles played by the public organization Ukrainian Military Club of Pavlo Polubotok. The rebels’ main goal was an immediate proclamation of the Ukrainian independence. The rebellion itself had several political and social reasons. Soldiers of the Cossack regiment deeply lacked food supplies and medicines, experienced poor living conditions. Among the political reasons were those that the Central Council of Ukraine obtained pale national and military policy. In whole, more than 10 thousandsoldiers and most of the population of Kiev found themselves in the center of the revolt. The uprising was later stifled due to the effective counter-actions of the Ukrainian officials and leaders of the Russian Kiev Military District. The participants of the revolt were mainly exiled to the Romanian World War I front-lines where they had soon found their death. The ideologist of the disorder is considered the contemporary nationalist leader of that time Mykola Mikhnovsky although there is no direct and clear evidences of his involvement in those events.
Causes and preceding events
Ukrainian military movement has rapidly developed after establishment of the Ukrainian military club in March 1917. It was closely cooperated with the clandestine Fraternity of Independentists led by Valentyn Otamanovsky.
Fraternity of Independentists and conspiracy
Ukrainian politician and researcher of the Ukrainian liberation movement from Horlivka, Roman Koval, points out the fact that on 27 June 1917 took place a conference of the clandestine Kiev organization Fraternity of Independentists where it discussed pacifistic policies of the Central Council of Ukraine. A discussion about the attempt of armed coup split. One urged to decisively replace the autonomy-seeking politicians with the military dictatorship headed by Hetman. Others claimed that it would bring a ruin in society and the coup should be directed exclusively against Russians. Koval also mentioned that in June 1917 Mykola Mikhnovsky joined the organization. The commander of the First Ukrainian regiment Yuriy Kapkan who Mykola Mikhnovsky intended to play an important role in the coup disclosed Mikhnovsky's plans to Volodymyr Vynnychenko.
On 2 July 1917 a Russian government delegation headed by Alexander Kerensky visit Kiev after the declaration of the First Universal of Central Council that called for autonomous status of the Russian Southwestern Krai.
