Public repentance
A common strategy existed for writers and intellectuals to maintain their relatively normal existence within the regime in Ukrainian SSR: public repentance. Authors accused of anti-Soviet activities were forced to make public statements in which they admitted their mistakes and even validated the fictitious or false accusations made against them.
Such “repentances” could take the form of articles, publications, and public speeches. Mykola Khvylovyi and Mykhailo Yalovyi, who “played a bit too much” in the literary discussion, had to justify themselves on the pages of the Vaplite magazine (full name: Vilna akademiia proletarskoi literatury, Free Academy of Proletarian Literature). Mykhailo Semenko was forced to publish self-deprecating articles about futurism in later issues of the “Nova heneratsia” (New Generation) magazine.
Authors who did not go through with the proposed public repentance found themselves either in exile or unable to continue writing. Their works were not accepted for publication, and they were denied employment related to culture, the press, or education.