The main ideological principles of the Sich Riflemen were Ukrainian independence,
sovereignty, and the unity of the Ukrainian people. The Riflemen chose to prioritise national interests over the
socialist idea of
class struggle, in contrast to contemporary Ukrainian politicians who were sometimes preoccupied with ideological discussions. A statute for internal use stated: "The army must be a completely centralised institution, in which responsibility lies only with superiors, never with subordinates". In this vein, Konovalets, supported by the riflemen, refused demands that the unit establish
military councils. The Rifle Council was restricted to an advisory role though it retained the right to make major decisions relating to ideological, political, and organisational issues. Riflemen were expected to unconditionally follow orders and were required to sign statements declaring that they would agree to fight
Austrian forces if the order were given. During training, an emphasis was placed upon cultural and educational work through courses for the illiterate, the use of
Prosvita reading rooms, and visits to Kyiv's theatres among other examples.
Sergeants and other
officers were expected to live in the
barracks and eat with the riflemen. 'Sichovy Strelets' :uk:Січовий Стрілець (бронепоїзд)| captured by the Sich Riflemen. Kyiv, December 1918. When building the new Sich Riflemen unit in Bila Tservka, the level of discipline expected of the soldiers was such that only the most experienced, morally responsible, politically committed, and
nationally conscious riflemen were intended to remain. After the capture of Kyiv in December 1918, the Sich Riflemen garrison carried out the
Ukrainisation of the city; according to historian Ivan Khoma this was done in a national-radical spirit characteristic of
Galician Ukrainians whereby
Russian-language signs were ordered to be removed and replaced with ones in
Ukrainian. According to Khoma, the members of the Sich Riflemen that sought to continue the armed struggle against
Poland and therein cofounded the
Ukrainian Military Organisation in 1920 contributed the ideology and politics of the organisation. == See also ==