 After the occupation of Ukraine by German and Austro-Hungarian forces in 1918, the German occupying authorities assisted in establishing "Selbstschutz" units drawn from the numerous ethnic-German communities in southern Ukraine.The "Selbstschutz" assisted in serving German security interests in Ukraine following the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.Russian Mennonite men were included in this program and members were drawn from the Molotschna and Chortitza Mennonite colonies with training and armaments provided by the German imperial army.