Thousands of books and articles written about Zinoviy (Bogdan) Khmelnytsky. It is a very controversial topic. The Ukrainians tend to associate Khmelnytsky with their independence movement. Conversely, the Russian Federation and Belarus fully condone Khmelnytsky actions. They refer to Cossack Hetmanate succession as the "process of unification of Great Russia." As a result, there is little interest on either side in classifying 1648-1654 Jewish massacres as genocide.
At the same time, many independent scholars accept the fact that Khmelnytsky troops committed atrocities.
CLARIFICATION:
By no means this notation justifies the Russian Federation's claims to ANY Ukrainian territories.
Ukraine deserves the right to define its own path.
Here we have a deeper philosophical queston. One that is very familiar to a Western mind.
Could any nation establish a free democratic rule where each and every minority group dignity was NOT preserved?
The answer is self-evident.
Therefore, by canonizing looters, rapists, and murderers of women, children and elderly, each of the former Imperial Russia provinces is continuously denying justice to the victims of the 1648-54 atrocities.
On June 13, 2016 Ukrainian activists proposed to admit deeds of Khmelnytsky army as Jewish Holocaust in Ukraine. Out of 25,000 signatures required to amend the state's official position, the petition had 4 votes...
Perhaps one of the most controversial mention comes from the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawetski.
In 2018 Prime Minister Morawetski equated actions of Khmelnytsky to those of Hitler.
A not so surprising reaction can be seen in publications of the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus. Irrespective of the border conflicts and aggression against their "slavic brethren," both nations support violent actions of Khmelnytsky insurrection. Multiple media and government sites continuing to celebrate the annexation of Ukraine by Imperial Russia. Under such a politicization doctrine neither country would condemn the actions of Khmelnytsky. Many of these articles load slowly, please be patient:
Contextual Translation of recent article's titles:
Belarus: web site "Together with Russia"
Russian Federation
Local Crimean government:
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) on : Jan 18 , 2025
"Under the threat of losing religious and national identity the liberation movement was borne amongst christian population living along the Dnieper river watercourse. It resulted in removal of Polish oppression and unification of Russia."
Russian Tsardom was more concerned with the annexation of the South-Western provinces and the "Russification" of the Jews. The South-West included the cities of Kiev and Minsk and their environs. There was not as much studies conducted in Chernigov gubernia. However, the data of the South-Western Provoinces offers ample details of Khmelnytsky atrocites.
In 1888 Russian historian, M. Vladimirsky-Budanov, "proudly" compiled a "History of People's migration in the South-Western region" (portion of which was annexed into Russian Ukraine gubernia) during the era of Khmelnytski. The book was audited and approved to publication. This means the Russian Tsar and his government have officially condoned the Khmelnytsky actions, and especially the fact that minorities (e.g. Jews, Karaims, etc.) were "removed from the Russian Land in sufficient numbers."
Contextual translation below offers some details of atrocities committed by Khmelnytsky
p.2.
… during 1653-54 the estates of Count Wiśniowiecki [translator’s note: former Polish territory] were pillaged most severely. For example, no homes left standing in the hamlet Manev; only two homes left in the Novi Vyshnivets; all Jewish tenants were slaughtered…
p.4.
Translator’s note:
This page shows the geo-scale and ferocity of the atrocities committed by Khmelnytsky armies. The list is quite long. Below are just a few affected locations spread across different modern day states and countries. The original author very likely DID NOT include the entire list. It would have been too long. We hope that new documents would come to light via Jewish Gen or their partners.
... mestechko Sudlikiv [translator’s note: in a fit of dark irony this district of modern-day Ukraine is called Khmelnytsky raion] was burned to the ground; a few thousands of residents were slaughtered or taken hostage (to be traded for ransom).
... hamlet Khniahinin [translator’s note: Belarus - Minsk region] was destroyed by a sword and fire ... no residents left alive ...
... entire hamlet Sucha Wola [translator’s note: former Polish territory near Lvov] was burned to the ground; no survivors...
p.14.
[translator’s note: a summary] ... Jewish population of Southern Ukraine was reduced by ~ 80%-90% ...
During the attack, Jewish homes were completely broken by digging irons, and their entire possessions were thrown onto the streets and destroyed. [translator’s note: those items would have included all religious implements, town's/hamlet's censuses records, business documents, lease agreements, and private Jewish artifacs]
p.38
[translator's note: this is Russian government's assessment] ... the horrors of struggle led by Bogdan Khmelnytsky resulted in a trimph of civilization - repopulation of the deserts, establishment of a proper law, and even more significant - a rise of Russian self-awarness to the height appropriate to that of a great nation...
Translator's Notes:
In spite of the repulsive feelings from reading this awful description, a researcher can extract significant facts from it:
There were Jewish survivors in 1649-54. No one actually counted an exact tally.
Russian historians of early 19th century had no way of knowing where did the survivors go (East or West), and when did the people return?
The antisemitic violence stemmed from Russian Tsardom policies, and was projected onto Ukrainian peasants for centuries to come.
Khmelnytsky atrocities created a set of waves of Ukrainian national antisemitism extending well into the twentieth century.