Starting from the early 1930s , the Ukrainization policies were abruptly and bloodily reversed . " Ukrainian bourgeois nationalism " was declared to be the primary problem in Ukraine . Many Ukrainian newspapers , publications , and schools were switched to Russian . The vast majority of leading scholars and cultural leaders of Ukraine were purged , as were the " Ukrainianized " and " Ukrainianizing " portions of the Communist party . Major repression started in 1929 – 30 , when a large group of Ukrainian intelligentsia was arrested and most were executed . In Ukrainian history , this group is often referred to as " Executed Renaissance " ( Ukrainian : розстріляне відродження ) . The terror peaked in 1933 , four to five years before the Soviet-wide " Great Purge " , which , for Ukraine , was a second blow . The vast majority of leading scholars and cultural leaders of Ukraine were liquidated , as were the " Ukrainianized " and " Ukrainianizing " portions of the Communist party
were purged
Great Purge
Ukrainization