Department of Kyiv Postal and Telegraph District (696 Fond of the Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine, Kyiv City Review)

There is given the review of the little-known 696 Fond, Kyiv Post and Telegraph District, that contains documents dedicated to the development of the postal network and telegraph in the territories of Kyiv, Volyn and Chernihiv provinces. The purpose of the article is to show the information capabilities of thefond, to reveal promising areas of research documents. The research methodology is based on common scientifi c methods of analysis, historicism, comparison and generalization. Comparative and structural methods have also been applied. Scientifi c novelty. It was found out that this fond, with the exception of cases related to the construction of the Kyiv main post offi ce and railway station, was not used by historians and local history scientists. The fond contains documents on the opening of post offi ces in various settlements of these provinces, as well as appeals from the communities of towns and villages with a request to open a post offi ce and telegraph, statistical information, maps, correspondence with various institutions on the purchase of equipment, rent and construction of premises, etc. Some cases are devoted to horse post offi ces, schedules of mail carriages and trains, maintenance of telegraph poles and telegraph and telephone networks. The fond stores documents for local history, as well as the events of the First World War and the Ukrainian Revolution. Post and telegraph offi cials provided mobilization and communications during hostilities, forwarded correspondence from the front, and spy detection. During the Revolution, offi cials provided communications to all political regimes and warring armies. Cases of the service of post and telegraph offi cers in the ranks of the «free Cossacks», their participation in the struggle against the Bolsheviks and the uprising against Hetman P. Skoropadsky have been preserved. Prospects for further research. A more detailed study of the fond's documents will make it possible to expand information in general about the events of the First World War and the Ukrainian Revolution; everyday life of the population in the late 19 – early 20 centuries., working conditions, payment, social security of postal and telegraph employees. The conclusions state that the analysis of the fond's documents allows us to talk about the diversity of socio-economic changes that led to develop the post and telegraph network in the region.