Commanded by Col. Yevhen Konovalets with his chief of staff Andriy Melnyk, the Sich Riflemen had up to 25,000 men at their peak, including artillery, cavalry, reconnaissance and machine-gun units and defended the government of UNR against the Bolshevik insurrection in the capital and later against the regular Red Army forces that advanced into Ukraine in 1918.

When Kyiv was recaptured in March 1918, the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen guarded government buildings in the capital and maintained order in the city.

Soldiers from the unit joined other forces, notably Petro Bolbochan's 2nd Zaporozhian Regiment, and attempted to reestablish themselves under the new command.

In August 1918, Skoropadsky finally allowed a partial re-establishment of the Sich Riflemen in Bila Tserkva.

In Bila Tserkva, the Sich Riflemen led the revolt against hetman Skoropadsky, with their ranks expanding to 11,000 by November 1918.