ВІЙСЬКОВО-МОРСЬКА ПОЛІТИКА 1917–1920 РОКІВ У НАУКОВОМУ ДОРОБКУ ЛЕЙТЕНАНТА СВЯТОСЛАВА ШРАМЧЕНКА

Abstract

The article comprehensively analyzes the scientific output of the scientist, fleet lieutenant Sviatoslav Shramchenko, which is dedicated to the naval policy of the era of the National Liberation War of 1917–1921. On the basis of official orders, state documents, and his own memories, the author described the peculiarities of the formation of the structure of the Maritime Ministry, the development of the Black Sea Fleet, identified external and internal political factors that both contributed to and hindered these processes, characterized the general aspects of the concept of naval policy. Examining the era of the Central Council, the author noted that in 1917, the Black Sea Fleet underwent processes of Ukrainization, national and state self-awareness of sailors and officers (captains). However, the leadership of the Central Council and the General Secretariat approached the principles of the formation of the Armed Forces in general and the navy in particular from socialist positions, filled the management staff of naval departments basing on the principle of party affiliation rather than expertise, actually ignored the issue of the Crimea and, thus, did not use the potential of Ukrainianized sailors. Analyzing naval policy during the days of the Ukrainian State, Sviatoslav Shramchenko proved that its leadership attached great importance to the construction of an effective Black Sea fleet. At the state level, negotiations were held on the return of warships actually occupied by German troops, work was underway on the legal registration and staffing of ships of the fleet. The author claimed that these reforms were interrupted by the change in the geopolitical situation in November 1918 and the anti-Hetman coup of the Directory. Determining the basic aspects of the naval policy of the Directory era, Sviatoslav Shramchenko emphasized that at the first stage it followed mistakes identical to those of the Central Council era. Stabilization of the policy took place during the time of the Minister of the Navy Mykhailo Bilinskyi, but the capture of the Black Sea Fleet by the Entente and the occupation of the south of Ukraine by the Volunteer Army of Lieutenant General Anton Denikin did not allow the ideas of the naval sphere to be implemented.