INTEL 736

The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was a nationwide uprising against the Soviet-imposed policies in Hungary, demanding political freedom, reforms, and the withdrawal of Soviet troops. The revolt began in October 1956 and, after initial success, was brutally suppressed by the Soviet Union in November of that year.

While the overall suppression of the revolution was primarily a Soviet operation, involving Soviet troops stationed in Hungary and reinforcements from the USSR, there is a specific historical context involving Ukraine and Ukrainians.

Context of Soviet Involvement

At the time of the revolution, Hungary, like Ukraine, was part of the Soviet sphere of influence within the Eastern Bloc, under the control of the USSR. Ukraine, being a Soviet republic, was not independent but under the direct control of Moscow. Soviet military actions in Hungary during the revolution were directed by the central Soviet leadership, not by the Ukrainian government, which didn’t have independent military decision-making power.

Ukrainian Involvement

1. Soviet Army Composition: The Soviet army units sent to Hungary to crush the revolution included soldiers from across the USSR, including a significant number from Ukraine. Since Ukraine was one of the largest Soviet republics, a substantial portion of the Soviet military was made up of Ukrainians, either through conscription or voluntary enlistment. These Ukrainian soldiers were part of the Soviet military apparatus used to put down the uprising.
2. Geography and Logistics: Due to its proximity to Hungary, Soviet Ukraine played a logistical role in the intervention. Soviet military units stationed in Ukraine were among the first to be mobilized and sent into Hungary. Troops and equipment from Soviet Ukraine crossed the Carpathian Mountains to enter Hungary, making Ukraine an important staging ground for the Soviet response.
3. Specific Military Divisions: Reports suggest that some Soviet divisions deployed in Hungary were based in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and Ukrainian soldiers played a prominent role in the operation. However, they acted as part of the overall Soviet forces, following orders from the Kremlin.

Broader Perspective

While Ukrainian soldiers were part of the Soviet military that crushed the Hungarian Revolution, they were not acting as representatives of an independent Ukraine. Ukrainians, like soldiers from other Soviet republics, were conscripted into the Red Army and followed orders from the central Soviet leadership.

Ukraine, at the time, was also subjected to Soviet domination and repression, so Ukrainian participation should be seen in the context of the USSR’s control over its constituent republics. There was no autonomous Ukrainian decision to intervene; rather, it was part of a larger Soviet operation to maintain control over Eastern Europe.

In short, Ukrainians were involved in the suppression of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution primarily through their participation in the Soviet military, but they did so under the orders of the Soviet Union, not as an independent force.