Ukrainians have been divided for centuries over the issue of independence. In ancient Slavic language, the term “Ukraine” may have meant borderland or homeland. The modern-day nationalists prefer the “homeland” theory, because they believe that the eastern part of the country is part of Russia. However, the two ideas are polar opposites. In the end, neither is correct. Many people in Ukraine believe that their nation is independent.
The most pronounced division in the nation is between those who support the independence movement and those who support the rule of Russia. The right-bank Ukraine was under the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until late 1793, while the left bank was incorporated into the Russian Tsardom in 1667. The Turkish Ottoman Empire occupied part of the Ukrainian region, but Kiev remained under Hetman Petro Doroshenko’s control until 1681. The Turks captured the capital city, Kyiv, in 1681, and the town of Braclav in 1699.
The Russians were unable to deny that the country had a past of Soviet dominance, and that Ukraine has been a battleground between Europeans and Russians. The conflict between the two forces was inevitable, but a few facts about the situation may be useful to understand the origins of the current conflict. First, the history of the country shows that it has always been a battleground between Russian and European powers. Secondly, the situation in Eastern Ukraine is more savage than in the West.
After the 1917 overthrow, Ukraine set up a provisional government and declared itself a republic within federated Russia. In November, the radical Bolsheviks rose to power, and Ukraine declared full independence in January 1918. This period was known as the Crimean War. Although Ukraine did not break away from Russia, it did become a free independent nation. The independence of the eastern part of the country has not been fully resolved.
Although its present-day borders are very different from the one of Russia, its historical connection is deep-rooted and complex. The distinction between Ukraine and Russia is much more blurred than the one between France and Germany. During the 1700s, the Russian leader Catherine the Great began a process of “Russification” in Ukraine. This included shipping in ethnic Russians and forcing schools to teach Russian. This process continued until the 1950s, when the Soviet Union was no longer an empire.
The eastern borders of Ukraine are the result of an imperial-revival nationalist worldview. This nationalism view has fueled the separatist movement in Ukraine. While the western world views the Ukraine as part of Russia, the Soviet Union has long considered it as a Russian colony. If the U.S. does not recognize the boundaries of the Ukrainian state, the region will remain under Russian rule. It may eventually return to its former status, but for now, it remains a disputed territory.
The question of whether Ukraine is a real nation is a difficult one to answer. While the Russians are clearly obsessed with the country, they do not consider it a real country. After all, the people of the former Soviet Union voted to separate from the Soviet Union in a democratic referendum, which they later decided to do. This referendum is a major milestone in the Ukrainian history, but the future of the nation is not clear.
Before the separatist revolution in Ukraine, most of the country was part of the Soviet Union. Its population was predominantly Orthodox and semi-autonomous, and had strong ties with the USSR. Before the Soviet Union disintegrated, the Ukrainians had a more unified relationship with the rest of the world. While the conflict was not without its complications, the nation was largely unified and the country’s political institutions remained relatively stable.
The Ukrainian people’s independence was a major issue during the Soviet era. In 1917, a human chain formed between the cities of Lviv and Kyiv to demand independence. In December 1991, a referendum on the issue of Ukrainian independence was held. Nine months later, the nation had already voted to remain part of the USSR. The result of the March 1991 vote is still disputed, but it is the majority of Ukrainians in the country.