Postal reform of Petr Rumyantsev: its role in the process of incorporation of Ukrainian lands Into the Russian empire

Research Objective. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the postal reform initiated by Petro Rumiantsev in Left-Bank Ukraine in the second half of the 18th century, in the context of its role in the administrative and political integration of Ukrainian lands into the Russian Empire. The article also seeks to determine the functional significance of the postal system as a tool of state centralization and assimilation policy. Research Methodology. The study employs an interdisciplinary approach using historical-comparative, systemic, and structural-functional methods. The “center–periphery” approach is applied to identify the specific features of imperial policy implementation in national borderlands. Scientific Novelty. The novelty lies in the attempt to consider the reform not only as an administrative renewal of the postal system, but also as a significant component of the political process of dismantling the remnants of the Hetmanate's autonomous structure—part of a broader program of imperial unification and integration. Conclusions. The reform of the postal service in Ukraine during Petro Rumiantsev’s tenure as Governor-General (1764–1786) was part of the Russian Empire’s centralization policy. It facilitated the strengthening of imperial administrative control over Left-Bank Ukraine, which resulted in the elimination of the Hetmanate’s autonomy. The development of postal routes and communication lines contributed to economic development, but simultaneously increased the dependence of Ukrainian lands on St. Petersburg. An important political aspect of this reform, like others of the period, was its role as an instrument of integrating Ukraine into the Russian Empire’s administrative system—a process that resonates with contemporary issues of information control and centralized governance. The establishment of postal stations (yams) was crucial for the mobility of the state apparatus and military. Rumiantsev’s postal reform was not merely an administrative measure—it became part of the broader process of imperial absorption of Ukraine.