These elections were the first phase of deputies' elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR, which were later coopted with others soon after the start of the World War II and annexation of territories neighboring the Soviet Union in Poland and Romania. In 1940, 80 more deputies were elected representing territories of today's Western Ukraine, while in 1941 a third wave of elections added 16 more deputies to the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR representing Bukovina and Budjak. At the same time, the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR lost deputies from the Moldavian ASSR which joined the Supreme Soviet of the newly created union republic of Moldova (Moldavian SSR).
A new Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR ("Stalin's Constitution") had been adopted in 1937.[1] Previously on 5 December 1936 at the 8th Extraordinary Congress of Soviets of the Soviet Union, there was already adopted the Constitution of the whole Union which became a base for development and adaptation of constitutions of union republics.[1] On resolution of Presidium of the All–Ukrainian Central Executive Committee (AUCEC) of 13 June 1936, there was established the AUCEC Constitutional Commission.[1] By prior decision of Politburo of Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine (CC CP(b)U), the Presidium approved personnel composition of the Constitutional Commission.[1] The developed draft of Constitution of the UkrSSR by the commission was submitted under existing practice to CC CP(b)U, Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) (CC VCP(b)), after which the agreed draft was reviewed by the AUCEC Presidium.[1] After the AUCEC Presidium approved the draft it decided to submit the draft for review to the 16th Extraordinary All-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets.[1]
Coincidentally in 1937 to Ukraine were dispatched three personal representatives of Stalin Vyacheslav Molotov, Nikolai Yezhov, and Nikita Khrushchev.[2] After their arrival in Ukraine were arrested and executed 17 members of government.[2] The chairman of Sovnarkom of the UkrSSR Panas Lyubchenko committed suicide.[2] The CC CP(b)U that was recently elected on 3 June 1937[3] at the XIII Party's congress was routed, 10 out of 11 members of Politburo along with 4 out of 5 candidate members perished, while all 9 members Orgburo were repressed.[2] In 1937 – 1938 the next two chairmen of Sovnarkom of the UkrSSR Mykhailo Bondarenko and Mykola Marchak were arrested and executed as a Trotskyists.
The first session of the newly elected Supreme Soviet took place on 25-28 July 1938.[1] According to the parliamentary tradition, it was opened by the oldest deputy, professor of Kharkiv University Dmitrii Sintsov.[1] According to Article 26 of the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR, the session elected the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Mykhailo Burmystenko and his two deputies. The Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada headed by Leonid Korniyets was also elected.
Note: the nearest 1939 Soviet Union census across the Ukrainian SSR accounted for the following percentages: Ukrainians – 23667509/30946218 (76.5%), Russians – 4175299/30946218 (13.5%), others – 3103410/30946218 (10%).[4]
Note: the nearest 1939 Soviet Union census across the Ukrainian SSR accounted for the following percentages: women – 16192652/30946218 (52%), men – 14753566/30946218 (48%).[4]
No/director (deputy chief) of the Central Committee of CP(b)U directorate of propaganda and agitation/secretary of the Communist Party of Transcarpathian Ukraine
3rd secretary of the Kharkiv Oblast committee of the CP(b)U
No/chief of the Kharkiv Oblast Directory of Cinematography/director of the Kharkiv House of Teacher/ head of personnel department of the Kharkiv Machine Tool Plant
2nd secretary of the Kharkiv Oblast committee of the CP(b)U/jailed
No/secretary of the Mykolaiv Oblast committee/head of department of Marxism-Leninism of the Kharkiv Agricultural Institute/docent in the Kharkiv Medical Institute and the Kharkiv Aviation Institute
No/arrested in 1939 as the enemy of people, released in 1942/arrested in 1948, convicted to 10 years in GULAG in 1949, released in 1955/"rehabilitated"
No/WWII POW/liberated by American troops and handed over to the Soviet Union/arrested and convicted for collaboration in 1946, served time in the Russian Far East, released in 1956/worked as an accountant
head of the department of leading party bodies of the CC CP(b)U
No/chief of political department of the Ukhta-Izhora camp/chief of political department of the Polyana directory of camps in Krasnoyarsk/chief of the Polyana camp department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian SFSR
Yes/1st secretary of the Turiysk Raion committee of the CP(b)U/chairman of the Volyn Oblast council ispolkom/chairman of the Lutsk City council ispolkom/chairman of the Volyn Oblast council of professional unions/head of the department of social security of the Volyn Oblast council
Yes/chief engineer and deputy head of the "Ukrnaftozavody" trust in Drohobych/deputy chairman of the Lviv branch presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR for scientific work/head of the oil refining laboratory of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR in Lviv/head of the sulfonate chemistry sector of the Lviv branch of "Ukrdnipronafta"
professor of the Lviv State University imeni Franka
No/headed the department of Ukrainian literature of the Institute of Social Sciences of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR and headed the department of Ukrainian literature
No/2nd secretary of the Lviv City committee of the CP(b)U/deputy chairman of the Lviv Oblast council ispolkom/head of the Lviv Oblast department of road transport and highways