Ukraine Is Celebrating 35 Years Of Independence

Behind the sparse lines of official history lie quite a few interesting details.

Ukraine’s Independence Day is celebrated annually on August 24—the very day in 1991 when the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Act of Declaration of Independence.

However, the path to this historic decision began much earlier and spanned more than one decade, writes UNIAN.

How Ukraine’s Independence Day Came to Be—The History Behind the Date

The history of the Ukrainians’ struggle for their own statehood began long before the 1990s. On January 22, 1918, the Ukrainian Central Rada proclaimed the independence of the Ukrainian People’s Republic through its Fourth Universal. A year later, on the same date, the unification of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the West Ukrainian People’s Republic was announced on St. Sophia Square in Kyiv. Although the Act of Unification could not be fully implemented at that time, it became an important symbol of the unity of the Ukrainian lands.

On March 15, 1939, Carpathian Ukraine declared its independence. However, it did not last long—its territory was soon occupied by Hungary.

The modern phase of the struggle for independence began on July 16, 1990, when the Supreme Council of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the Declaration on the State Sovereignty of Ukraine. The document enshrined the republic’s right to independently determine its domestic and foreign policies.

In the fall of 1990, Kyiv witnessed the “Revolution on the Edge”—a student protest against the preservation of the Soviet system and the signing of a new union treaty. The People’s Movement of Ukraine also played a significant role in the drive toward independence. However, the turning point was the August coup of August 19–21, 1991. Following its failure, the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR held an extraordinary session on August 24 and adopted a resolution proclaiming Ukraine’s independence, as well as the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. This decision was later confirmed by the citizens in a nationwide referendum.

Thus, Ukraine’s Independence Day in 1991 became a symbol of the country’s final secession from the USSR.

Ukraine’s Independence Day—Interesting Facts

Behind the terse lines of official history lie many vivid details—not everyone knows exactly how Ukraine’s independence came to be.

Independence Day Was Originally Celebrated on July 16

If we’re talking about the original date on which Ukraine’s Independence Day was celebrated, the first date was not August 24, but July 16.

It was on this day in 1990 that the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Declaration on the State Sovereignty of Ukraine and designated it as Independence Day. After independence was proclaimed, the date was moved to August 24.

The Act of Declaration of Independence was written in an hour and a half in a school notebook

The draft of the Act Levko Lukyanenko and Leontiy Sandulyak jotted down on the morning of August 23—it took them just an hour and a half and an ordinary school notebook. The authors felt that the word “Law” was too mundane, while “Universal” was associated with Petliura and might have alienated the communists, so they settled on the word “Act.”

Even the Communists voted in favor of the Act on August 24

The Act was supported by an absolute majority of deputies—346 votes in favor. Deputies from the Communist Party of the Ukrainian SSR, which at the time constituted the majority of parliament, also spoke in favor of independence.

Several tens of thousands of people gathered outside the parliament building during the session

While debates were underway inside the chamber, a crowd of many thousands (ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 people, according to various sources) gathered outside with national flags—people were following the session (which was broadcast on the radio) and did not disperse until the deputies had reached a decision.

A blue-and-yellow flag was carried into the Rada chamber, and the anthem of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen was performed

At the end of the Verkhovna Rada session Vyacheslav Chornovil proposed bringing a blue-and-yellow flag into the parliamentary chamber. However, it was not solemnly raised above the dome of the Verkhovna Rada until September 4.

After the session, opposition deputies sang the anthem of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, “Oi u luzi chervona kalyna,” from the podium—and people on the street joined in.

The song enjoyed a new wave of popularity more than 30 years later: in February 2022, the lead singer of “Boombox” Andriy Khlyvnyuk sang it right on St. Sophia Square after joining Kyiv’s territorial defense forces.

All of Ukraine, without exception, supported independence

In the referendum on December 1, 1991, the Declaration of Independence was supported in every region of the country without exception: in Kyiv—92% of voters; in the western regions—up to 95%; in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Odesa, and Kharkiv regions—about 80%; and in Crimea—54%.

Poland was the first country to recognize Ukraine’s independence

Following the referendum, Poland was the first country to recognize Ukraine’s independence, followed by Canada, then Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, and several other countries.

How Ukraine Celebrates Independence Day

This year, Ukraine is marking the 35th anniversary of its independence.

In peacetime, this holiday has always been celebrated on a grand scale—with military parades, festive concerts, and festivals. Ukrainians of all ages traditionally wore vyshyvankas or tied ribbons in the national blue-and-yellow colors to their clothes on August 24.

However, since 2022, the format of the celebration has changed dramatically. Due to the full-scale war, mass events may be restricted or canceled for security reasons to avoid putting people’s lives at risk. But this does not prevent Ukrainians, just as in previous years, from wearing embroidered shirts, singing the national anthem, and praying together for peace to come soon to their homeland.

Before the full-scale invasion, Independence Day had always been an official holiday. But as long as martial law remains in effect in the country, August 24 will remain a regular workday—each employer makes their own final decision regarding the work schedule for that day.

The curfew on Independence Day remains unchanged across the regions, but authorities continue to urge Ukrainians to be as vigilant and cautious as possible—and not to ignore air raid sirens due to the ongoing threat of missile attacks.

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