Ukraine’s Genocide In 1932, Soviet leader Josef Stalin unleashed genocide in Ukraine. Stalin determined to force Ukraine’s millions of independent farmers called “Kulaks” into collectivized soviet agriculture, and to crush Ukraine’s growing spirit of nationalism. Ukraine’s nightmare had begun in 1932. Faced by resistance to collectivization, Stalin unleashed terror upon Ukraine. Moscow dispatched 25,000 young party militants and earlier visions of Mao’s “Red Guards” to force 10 million Ukrainian peasants into collective farms. Secret police units of OGPU began selective executions of rebellious farmers. When Stalin’s red guards failed to make a dent