Military Revolutionary Council
The Military Revolutionary Council (, VRS) was the de facto executive of the Makhnovshchina, empowered to act during the interim between sittings of the Regional Congresses. Function Its powers covered both military and civil matters in the region, although it was also subject to instant recall at the will of the Regional Congress and its activities were limited to those explicitly outlined by the Congresses themselves. At each Regional Congress, the VRS was to provide detailed reports of its activities and subjected itself to reorganization. When it came to the decisions of local soviets and assemblies, the VRS presented itself as a solely advisory board, with no power over the local bodies of self-government. The VRS also functioned as the supreme body of the Revolutionary Insurgent Army, acting in concert with its elected general staff and in consultation with insurgent detachments, thus "representing the authority of the civilian over the military." The VRS even came into conflict with the Makhnovist general staff over a number of unilateral decisions by the latter, including the execution of members of the Polonsky conspiracy. This eventually resulted in an agreement between the two, which reaffirmed the purview of the VRS as being in "administrative, economic, and financial matters", while the insurgent army itself would concentrate on "military affairs." History First council (February – June 1919) On 12 February 1919, the Second Regional Congress elected the first VRS to act as the interim executive while Congress was not in session. The first VRS consisted of 32 delegates, each representing a district from the provinces of Yekaterinoslav and Taurida. The Second Regional Congress further elected Ivan Chernoknizhny as chairman of the VRS; Leonid Kogan as vice-chairman; and Karbet as secretary. The constitution of the VRS was opposed by the Bolsheviks, with Lev Kamenev openly demanding its abolition during a visit to Huliaipole. This demand was refused by Nestor Makhno, as the constitution of the VRS outlined that it could only be disbanded by a Regional Congress, not by any central authority. As tensions between the Insurgents and the Red Army command began to heighten, the VRS convened a Fourth Regional Congress for 15 June. However, this Congress would never take place, as a Red Army attack against on 11 June resulted in the capture and execution of a number of VRS members by the Cheka. Second council (August – October 1919) Moves to reconstitute the VRS were made during negotiations between the Makhnovists and Nykyfor Hryhoriv's green army. In the proposed amalgamated force, Hryhoriv as commander-in-chief of the army would have been subordinate to the VRS, with Nestor Makhno acting as its chairman and Hryhorii Makhno as its chief of staff. However, Hryhoriv would be assassinated by the Makhnovists before the negotiations ended. With the only crucial tactical decisions having been made before its establishment, the second VRS was constituted while on the retreat to Uman and its role was largely confined to propaganda work. One of the appeals that the second VRS issued was a