When and why is the Independence Day of Ukraine celebrated?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

What is the reason for celebrating such a date as Independence Day in Ukraine? Scientists see the starting point of the sovereign history of this country in the time of the creation of the Kievan state, which was formed at the end of the 9th century AD. After a long time that had passed after its decline and the collapse of vast land areas into specific principalities, a Cossack-hetman formation was founded in the 17th century. It lasted until the end of the 18th century. In the next two hundred years, there was no sovereign state in these territories. Therefore, the Independence Day of Ukraine refers to later events.

As a result of the stormy October unrest of 1917, a certain upsurge of the national movement was planned on the territory of the so-called Little Russia. This resulted in the creation of the Ukrainian People's Republic (abbreviation - UNR). In the political field of that time, emphasis was placed on freedom of speech and the press, all kinds of religions, and people's assemblies. Strikes were allowed and the death pen alty was abolished. Then they began to celebrate the first Independence Day of Ukraine.

After the final refusal of the new government to accept the ultimatumThe Bolshevik Commissariat, which required the entry of troops into the territory of the new state in order to prevent the White Guard detachments from reaching the Don, an armed conflict began. Losing the battle, the leadership of the UNR was forced to call for help from the military forces of Germany.

In February 1918, German and Ukrainian troops approached the lands occupied by the Red Army. Within a couple of months, the new power was liberated from the red occupation. However, instead, she found herself in German dependence - a foreign government brought its protege to power in a militaristic way. The numerous interventions and civil war that followed this coup ended almost a year later, in Kyiv. There was adopted the Constitution of the state new formation - the Ukrainian SSR. This created the prerequisites for celebrating such a date as the Independence Day of Ukraine.

In 1920, a specific agreement was signed between the Slavic countries, establishing mutually beneficial military and economic assistance. It actually led to the dependence of the young state on the Kremlin government. Ukraine received its next chance on the path to political freedom only 70 years later, after the collapse of the USSR. As a result of the unrest that took place in August 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR proclaimed its country an independent democratic state. The Act of Independence was passed. It was confirmed by the will of the people during a national referendum that took place on December 1, 1991

This event is celebrated on the Independence Day of Ukraine. The date of the holiday falls on August 24th. In the document adopted that day, it was decided to create all the structures necessary for the life of an independent, separate state, including a bank, an army, and so on. Subsequently, the country's parliament decided to consider the aforementioned August date as a holiday and celebrate it as the Independence Day of Ukraine.