Symon Petliura

Symon Petliura (in English sources called also Simon, Semen, Semyen Petliura or Petlura) 1897-1926. ukrainian politician. Co-founder in 1905 of Ukrainian Labour Party. Editor of "Slovo" (word) and "Ukrainskaya Zhyzn'" (Ukrainian Life) in 1905-1909.

During World War I he was serving in Tzarist army. After 1917 and soviet February revolution member of Ukrainian Authonomous Council, later minister of military affairs. Until 1918 member of Directoriat, since 1919 leader of the body. In Russian Civil War fought with bolsheviks, Denikin, Germans, Ukrainians under Pavlo Skoropadsky and Poles. In the end 1919 withdrew to Poland.

Poland recognised him as legal government of Ukraine. In March 1920 as a head of Ukrainian Peoples Republic he signed alliance in Lublin with Polish government recognising Polish right to Lviv and Galicia. In 1920 Polish forces supplemented by remaining forces of Petliura took offensive on Kiev, which was turning point in Polish-Soviet war (1919-1920). After Peace of Riga he continued fighting alone, directing Ukrainian government from Tarnow and Warsaw. In 1924 emigrated to Paris and was assasinated that year by Sholom Schwartzbard, Jewish anarchist and Soviet spy. The assasination was one of the most successfull foreign operation of the Soviet secret police. The killer was freed from the charges by French tribunal, because of alleged antisemitism of Petlura.

External References:

Site defending Petliura