Index | Pre-Civil War Reichskommissariat Ukraine | Ukrainian Civil War | Post-Civil War Reichskommissariat Ukraine | Stus' Republic of Ukraine | Dziuba's Republic of Ukraine | Ohloblyn's Republic of Ukraine | Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic | Post-Civil War Ukrainian State | Klyachkivsky's Ukrainian State | Shukhevych's Ukrainian State | Stetsko's Ukrainian State
The Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic has been restored and Oleksander Shumskyi couldn't be happier. But, while he and his colleagues are jubilant, there's still much work left to do. An immediate priority is to help the populace recover from the civil war, either offering medical aid or agricultural centralization to mitigate the crisis. Ukrainian culture is also put back into the forefront, restoring their language and flag to show the world that its people are back in charge. To ensure that no one can subvert their work, the U-SSR fights the remnant enemy partisans and criminal elements, particularly using their bases in the Donbass to defend the new Republic.
A nationwide census reveals that Ukraine's current state is still atrocious, but many of the current measures are a good first step to the recovery and Shumskyi himself approves of more decisive action to improve the situation. Slightly more controversial, however, is the matter of Galicia. The Poliburo hasn't forgotten the dreaded Treaty of Riga that handed Galicia to Poland and the Ukrainians want it back. Having undergone its own civil war, the Polish Home Guard is currently in control of Galicia and are too ideologically incompatible to just give the territory back. Some dovish politicians are wary about entering into another conflict, but Roman Rozdolskyi, the People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs, intervenes with a personal anecdote of how his home was taken by Poland and that he's lived decades without seeing it returned. He refuses to waste this opportunity now and appeases the doves with an ultimatum for Poland to surrender peacefully, getting the proposal passed unanimously.
To the surprise of no one, the Home Guard refuses and war erupts. Scoring decisive victories against them, the U-SSR achieves victory and their flag flies triumphantly over Lviv. With this grievance avenged, it seems like a perfect call for celebration. However, Shumskyi cannot shake the dreadful feeling that Germany is preparing a retaliatory strike against them. With the power struggle in Germania over, it's assured that they will march back east and the Ukrainians will stand no chance against them. With the odds heavily stacked against him, Shumskyi devises a plan for the U-SSR to go back underground and wage an intensified guerrilla war against the Germans. It's a risky strategy, but the only chance the U-SSR has. For now, though, Shumskyi has done all he can and can only brace for the inevitable.
This route provides examples of:
- And the Adventure Continues: With the Reichskommissariat defeated and Galicia retaken, most in the U-SSR consider it a time of celebration. However, Shumskyi dreads the looming German threat, who will return to Ukraine and invade to reclaim their east European territories. Discussions on how to counter the Reich are awkward and most just want to convene with their families to enjoy the moment of victory, but Shumskyi knows that this moment will not last forever and the war to liberate Ukraine will continue.
- Big Damn Reunion:
- After years of being unable to meet, Shumskyi and all of his cabinet members reunite in the first Politburo meeting, unanimously declaring the restoration of the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic and bringing in a crate of whiskey to celebrate.
- Instead of the expected mailman, a Ukrainian mother reunites with her son, returning from the civil war and holding a basket of food. Without saying a word, the mother runs up to him and hugs him, all with Tears of Joy.
- Bring It: In reaction to the ultimatum to hand over Galicia, the Polish Home Army sends their own letter, accepting their declaration of war and calling them yet another oppressor that they will beat back, like they did the Bolsheviks in Vistula or the Nazis in the Polish Civil War.
- The Dog Bites Back: A group of women, who have been trafficked by a Ukrainian gangster, can have their revenge if the U-SSR focuses on combating crime, in which they hang the gangster who abused and held them captive.
- Enemy Mine: Subverted. Some in the U-SSR hoped to form an alliance with the Polish Home Army against Germany, but this idea got shot down because of their ideological incompatibilities and because the communists want to seize Galicia.
- Human Traffickers: If the U-SSR focuses on punishing criminals, a soldier will discover open cells of young, abused women who are being trafficked by a gangster. This is the last straw for the soldier, who hits the gangster in the face with his rifle butt and leaves him for the women to kill.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: The U-SSR has not forgotten the Treaty of Riga and the transfer of Galicia to Poland, separating many Ukrainians from their country. Rozdolskyi heavily pushes for the invasion, but ultimately appeasing the dovish politicians with an ultimatum for Poland to surrender the territory.
- Propaganda Piece: The conquest of Galicia is celebrated with a propaganda poster, featuring a line of Ukrainian worker-soldiers pointing their bayonets at a group of Poles, with the U-SSR flag and the sunrays towering over Lviv.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: A UPA soldier tries fleeing a U-SSR attack on his camp, should the partisans be hunted down after the civil war. It does him no good, as he's shot while running.
- Smash the Symbol: The U-SSR celebrates their victory by taking every Nazi insignia they can find and burning it in a pyre. One soldier carrying the Nazi flag considers this the proudest day of his life.
- Sympathy for the Devil: If the remnant partisans are hunted down, a pair of U-SSR soldiers will descend on a UPA camp and wipe them out. However, they feel some sadness over killing their fellow countrymen, knowing that they could have been spared if they chose the right side. Just before the last UPA soldier is executed, the U-SSR soldier utters "Sorry, brother" to him.
- Torn Apart by the Mob: Subverted. A gangster, potentially caught by the U-SSR, will be punished with his drug and human trafficking by throwing him to the mob of women he's kidnapped and abused. Contrary to expectations, they don't tear him apart; they hang him with a wire.
- A World Half Full: An incomplete national census is enough to describe how grim Ukraine is after the war. The Ukrainian population was cut down by famine, war, and disease; the living standards are comparable to ones from the Tsar's reign; national income is practically nonexistent; the cities are ravaged; some rural areas have regressed to a pre-industrial time; and the agricultural capital and urban manufacturing base have been crippled. Despite this, the government will not give up hope and sends its men to distribute necessities to mitigate the situation as much as they can.
- What Is This Feeling?: When the U-SSR wins the civil war, Halyna welcomes them to her liberated town and seeing the young leader's gaze fills her with a level of hope she hasn't felt in a long time.
