This week in history

February 7 1919. The Council of People’s Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR decreed to form the “workers’ and peasants’ militia” (police).

1995. The Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation was drafted in Kyiv.

February 8 1994. Ukraine joined NATO’s Peace program in Brusels.

1995. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed a law on nuclear energy utilization and radiological safeguards.

February 9 1918. The Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty was signed, resulting in the recognition of Ukraine as an independent state by Germany, Austria, Turkey, and Bulgaria.

1932. A resolution was passed to restructure the administrative and territorial division of Ukraine; establish oblast, and adopt a three-tier system of government (center — oblast — district), eliminating the okruh between oblast and district.

February 10 1940. The first phase in the deportation of the Western Ukrainian population began, affecting the lives of 220,000 people.

1940. The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists was split into OUN-B, led by Stepan Bandera, and OUN-M, led by Andriy Melnyk.

February 11 1950. The KP(b)U Central Committee approved a decision On the Dnipro Magazine, containing standard allegations in anti-popular views, formalism, etc.

1989. The founding conference of the Taras Shevchenko Society of Ukrainian Language (later named the All-Ukrainian Prosvita Society) took place.

February 12 1921. A Permanent Council to Fight Gargsterism was created under the Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

1960. The first reseach nuclear reactor in Ukraine was brought online.

February 13 1942. The compulsory gathering of the Ukrainians from the occupied territories for work in Germany as Ostarbeiters began.

1960. The Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR passed a decision to organize factory higher educational institutions and also industrial enterprises and workshops at institutions of higher education.