Actuality of the research is predetermined by the number of factors among which the current bilateral relations between Ukraine and the Russian Feder¬ation are dominating. Tltese relations have been rather tense since the first days of Ukrainian independence. The century-old complicated relations of our two peoples are not investigated enough that forms the significant obstacle on the way of embodiment of our peoples’ aspiring to good-neighbourliness. Thus an objective analysis and estimation of colonial policy of autocracy, social and cultural life in Ukraine at the beginning of the 20-th century, pre-conditions of the USSR disintegration as well as the reasons of difficulties of the Ukrainian state’s independent revival would be helpful in the process of overcoming the mentioned challenges.
Tsar’s Russia regarded the territory of Ukraine as the Russian empire’s outskirts and never acknoioledged the Ukrainian people’s right to independence. In all legislative acts Ukraine was named «Malorossia» (Little Russia) so its status was determined as an integral part of the Russian empire. Ukrainian language was regarded as a local dialect of Russian. Any manifestation of the Ukrainian national awakening, any social and political movement for Ukrainian education, literature, arts, language development were interpreted as «Mazepa’s movement» directed to separating Ukraine from indivisible Russian empire.
Urgency of revaluation of the world history conceptions which prevailed in Ukrainian historical science in the 20-th century was revealed with devel¬opment of contemporary historical science. Objective and comprehensive re¬search of Russian tsarism’s policy, social and cultural life in Ukraine as well as the processes of the Ukrainian national and cultural revival creates necessary conditions for the solution of urgent problems of formation and development of Ukrainian nation, state system, national and political consciousness of cit¬izens. Such research will contribute to equal and partner Ukrainian-Russian relations.