Petliura’s Armoured Train

In November 1918 in Bila Tserkva the anti-Hetman uprising of the Sich Riflemen began under the leadership of Chief Otaman Symon Petliura and Colonels Yevhen Konovalets and Andrii Melnyk. The uprising was caused by Hetman Skoropadsky’s wish to conclude a federation treaty with Russia. The Sich Riflemen’s camp was based not far from the railway station, so it was captured first. Later the Riflemen freed the city from the remnants of the Russian guard and set off for Kyiv. The Riflemen moved by rail; they had a home-made armoured train at their disposal, which became the vanguard in the battle with Russian units near Motovylivka, where the Riflemen routed the enemy. Within a month the insurgents liberated Kyiv and proclaimed the restoration of UNR power. This event became one of the key ones in the history of Ukraine, in particular of the Ukrainian Revolution. The small sculpture is dedicated to this armoured train. And its location is on the street where the printing house of the time stood, which printed Chief Otaman Symon Petliura’s appeal to Ukrainians about the start of the uprising.