The Central Rada of Ukraine, also called the Central Council or the Tsentralna Rada (Українська Центральна Рада), was the All-Ukrainian council that united deputies of soldiers, workers, and peasants deputies as well as few members of political, public, cultural and professional organizations of the Ukrainian People's Republic. After the All-Ukrainian National Congress (19–21 April 1917), the Council became the revolutionary parliament in the interbellum lasting until the Ukrainian-Soviet War. Unlike many other councils in the Russian Republic, bolshevization of this council failed completely, prompting the Bolsheviks in Ukraine to relocate to Kharkiv.
From its beginning the council directed the Ukrainian national movement and with its four Universals led the country from autonomy to full sovereignty. During its brief existence from 1917 to 1918, the Central Rada, which was headed by the Ukrainian historian and ethnologist Mykhailo Hrushevsky, evolved into the fundamental governing institution of the Ukrainian People's Republic and set precedents in parliamentary democracy and national independence that formed the basis of an independent Ukrainian identity after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
During the Soviet era, official ideology described the Central Council as a counter-revolutionary body of the bourgeoisie and petty-bourgeois nationalist parties.
1905 Russian RevolutionFebruary Revolution and Ukrainian Club
Among the first in Kyiv who learned about the February events outcome in Petrograd was Maksym Synytskyi, director of the Rodyna Club (Family club, previously as Ukrainian Club). Already at night on Starytskyi shared information about the events with Vasyl Koroliv-Staryi and later with all his acquaintances and friends from the Rodyna Club, the Society of Ukrainian Progressionists (TUP), "Chas" (Time) publishing. Synytskyi's idea laid in necessity of establishment of the Ukrainian movement leadership center not to repeat the same mistakes that took place during the events of 1905–07.