▁local ▁Roman ians . ▁As ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Mah ala ▁Z em stvo , ▁he ▁tried ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁break down ▁of ▁social ▁and ▁military ▁order , ▁and ▁narrow ly ▁escaped ▁with ▁his ▁life ▁after ▁being ▁purs ued ▁by ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁comm itte es . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁after ▁a ▁pro - R oman ian ▁Mold av ian ▁Democratic ▁Republic ▁had ▁taken ▁root ▁in ▁B ess arab ia , ▁he ▁and ▁G he org he ▁Mare ▁were ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁separ at ist ▁Congress ▁of ▁Trans n ist rian ▁Mold av ians ▁in ▁T iras pol , ▁where ▁they ▁fle w ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁tr icol or . ▁Sm och in ă ▁stated : ▁" We ▁love ▁our ▁Country ▁so ▁much , ▁that ▁even ▁our ▁icons ▁look ▁to ▁Roman ia ." ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁he ▁had ▁become ▁Pref ect ▁of ▁T iras pol , ▁then ▁regional ▁en voy ▁to ▁the ▁Central ▁R ada ▁of ▁K iev , ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁capital . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁union ▁of ▁B ess arab ia ▁with ▁Roman ia ▁had ▁been ▁effect ed ▁on ▁the ▁western ▁side ▁of ▁Trans n ist ria , ▁whereas ▁the ▁region ▁itself ▁was ▁made ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁Ukrain ian ▁Soviet ▁Social ist ▁Republic , ▁as ▁the ▁Mold av ian ▁Aut onom ous ▁O blast . ▁Sm och in ă ' s ▁experience ▁of ▁B ols he vik ▁rule ▁was ▁pain ful , ▁and ▁he ▁re called