Forming the Network of Ukrainian Emigrant Organizations in Bulgaria (First Half of the 1920s)

Bulgarian Historical Review, 54 (2026), No. 1, pp. 91-118
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71069/BHR1.26.VVISNY04

Valeriy Vlasenko, Ihor Sribnyak, Natalia Yakovenko

Assoc. Prof. Valeriy N. Vlasenko, Ph. D. - Department of History, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine; ORCID: 0000-0003-2220-2239, Scopus Author ID: 56330263000, Researcher ID: P-3350-2017, E-mail: v.vlasenko@yur.sumdu.edu.ua
Prof. Ihor Sribnyak, D. Sc. - Head of Department of World History, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, Kyiv, Ukraine; ORCID: 0000-0001-9750-4958, Scopus Author ID: 5719784842229, Researcher ID: O-1143-2018, E-mail: i.sribniak@kubg.edu.ua
Prof. Natalia Yakovenko, D. Sc. - Department of International Organizations and Diplomatic Service, Institute of International Relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine; ORCID: 0000-0002-3493-5950, E-mail: zaliznaledi@ukr.net

Abstract: The article reconstructs the process of forming a network of Ukrainian emigrant organizations in Bulgaria during the first half of the 1920s. Thanks to the efforts of Ukrainian diplomacy, and in particular the activities of the Head of the UPR Extraordinary Diplomatic Mission in Romania, K. Matsyevych, the Bulgarian government took a generally favorable position towards the UPR State Center in 1921. Part of the Bulgarian politicians consistently supported the Ukrainians and their political aspirations, which made it possible to establish the Ukrainian-Bulgarian Society and the “Ukrainian House” shelter for refugees, the sick and the disabled. At the same time, another part of Bulgarian politicians did not distinguish between Ukrainians and Russians, which was the result of significant influence exerted by Russian emigration centers on the Bulgarian government. Under their pressure, Ukrainian organizations were forced to cease their legal existence (1925). At the same time, it did not mean their self-liquidation – moreover, at that time the Ukrainian emigration environment was divided according to political preferences, which led to the formation of two groups – national-democratic (supporters of the UPR government in exile) and conservative-hetmanist (Ukrainian monarchists). The UPR environment significantly prevailed in terms of quantity, it included the Ukrainian Community and its branches and groups in the regions, the Cultural and Educational Circle, the “Sich” Society, and the Circle named after M. Drahomanov. The organizational rallying of the ‘hetmantsy’ and the group of “free Cossacks” took place within the unit of the Ukrainian National Cossack Society. Despite rather limited opportunities to advance their political aspirations in Bulgaria, Ukrainian emigrants managed to adapt to the conditions of their temporary living and became part of the Bulgarian society (without mixing with it).

Keywords: Ukrainian political emigration, national community, circle, cultural and educational activities, Bulgaria.

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