Abstract <p>The scholarly biography of M.S. Hrushevsky is analyzed in the context of the development of Soviet historical science from 1924 to 1934. The events of this period in the life of the renowned Ukrainian historian are often mistakenly used as a prime example of the Soviet state’s repressive policies toward the Ukrainian humanities intelligentsia, while criticism of his works and the subsequent ban on their republication after his death are seen as a blow to national historical writing. The boundaries of what was acceptable in the public sphere of that time are explored; it is shown that the struggle against Hrushevsky’s scholarly legacy was purely declarative. Contrary to popular belief, until the early 1930s, the Ukrainian historian wielded significant academic and scholarly influence in promoting his views on the historical past of Russia–Ukraine relations, particularly in the 17th–19th centuries. It is demonstrated that these views played a significant role in shaping the historical narrative in the Soviet Union. This was facilitated by Hrushevsky’s support from historians of the “old” school and the “new” Marxist generation. Starting from the early 1930s, Hrushevsky’s administrative influence in Ukraine significantly diminished. However, his personal connections and status as an academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences allowed Hrushevsky to continue his academic work in Moscow and Leningrad. Reforms at the USSR Academy of Sciences and failing health restricted Hrushevsky from fully realizing his scholarly potential.</p>