Grigory Vakulinchuk

Who was Grigory Vakulinchuk?

Artillery Quartermaster Grigory Meketovich Vakulinchuk was a Ukrainian sailor in the Russian Navy. He was born in Velki Koroventsi. He served on the Russian battleship Potemkin.

He was one of nine children. He and his family worked in a sugar factory until the navy conscripted him. He learned to read in radical study circles. He became a member of a sailor patrol in Sevastopol so he could monitor radical meetings while pretending to bring them to light. Once he actually turned away two officers after saying he'd arrested a meeting of radicals the two men had found.

On 10/23 June 1905, he had attended a meeting of Tsentralka and had argued in favour of an uprising: "To delay means to fail the revolution. At this moment, everywhere, workers and peasants are striking out. We must join the common fight." His powerful voice and long black moustache added to the effect of his words. On 11/24 June he convinced the Tsentralka leaders to let the Potemkin lead the Black Sea uprising.

After the crew discovered their meat was maggot-ridden, Vakulinchuk called for a boycott rather than a full uprising.