Pushkar, Martyn

Place and date of birth unknown; died June 1 (11), 1658, in the Poltava area. Colonel in Poltava (1648–58); participant in the War of Liberation of 1648–54; leader of the popular uprising in the Left-bank Ukraine against Hetman I. Vygovskii.

Pushkar’ consistently advocated a pro-Russian orientation. Vygovskii and the host starshina who supported him overtly promoted serfdom, a policy that was opposed by the popular masses. The uprising, which began in late 1657, had spread by the spring of 1658 to the entire southern Left-bank Ukraine, and Poltava had become its center. In May 1658, Vygovskii attacked Poltava with the help of mercenary German infantry, detachments of Crimean Tatars, and cossacks from the regiments of Pereiaslav, Chernigov, Kiev, and Uman’. The insurgents were aided by Zaporozh’e Cossacks commanded by Ia. F. Barabash. A decisive battle on June 1 near Poltava ended in the defeat of the insurgents. Pushkar’ was killed in combat.