Ruthenian Council

Ruthenian Council [Руська Рада; Ruska rada]. A political organization in Lviv established in 1870 as a successor to the Supreme Ruthenian Council. It quickly became dominated by Russophiles (Vasyl Kovalsky, Ya. Shvedzitsky, Teofil Pavlykiv), who refused to co-operate with Western Ukrainian populists in various undertakings. The populists finally established the People's Council in 1885 as a counterpart to it. The Ruthenian Council remained in existence until 1914. Its official publications included Russkaia rada (1871–1912) and Halytskaia Rus’ (1891–2). In 1890 it helped to establish the Ruthenian People's party.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 4 (1993).]