Decline of Ukrainian statehood and culture (1712-1783), Детальна інформація

to carry out considerable improvements in Ukrainian situation. His

loyalty to Moscow was ensured by presence of one of his sons as virtual

hostage in St Petersburg.

tsar Peter II died in 1730 and his aunt tsarina Anna became the

ruler of Russia. When hetman Apostol fell ill and became paralyzed, she

refused to hand over his powers to Cossacks and ordered Russian

"resident", prince Shakhowski to form a council, consisting mainly of

Russians, to take over. Hetman Apostol died in January 1734 and later

in that year Zaporozhtsi in Sitch decided to come over from Turkish to

Russian side.

With Ukraine becoming almost a province of Russia, russianization

of political, religious and cultural life intensified. Intermarriages

with Russians were encouraged and any efforts to regain independence

were brutally suppressed. Cossack colonels were kept under constant

observation and subjected to house Searches at the slightest sign of

disloyalty. Even any attempts to obtain justice were punished; when, in

1737, Kyiv's city counselors tried to defend their rights against

Russian excesses, they were all jailed. Things were so bad, that when

in 1740 an English general Keith was temporarily appointed in place of a

Russian administrator, people were amazed by his human behavior and

tolerance.

Times were hard for the top layer of Ukrainian society, but even

harder for middle and lower classes and peasants, who suffered most from

Russian exploitation. Cossacks were being forced to fight for Russia

against Turks, Tatars and Poles for small rewards, and often for

nothing.

Under such circumstances, yearning for the return of Hetmanate

autonomy persisted. The possibility of this to happen occurred after

the end of war with Turkey in 1740 and death of tsarina Anna in 1741. A

short regency of Anna II was terminated by a palace revolution,