Ukraine's path to independence: the struggle for freedom over the centuries

Q: When did Ukraine become part of the Moscow kingdom?

Ukraine (the Hetmanate) became part of the Moscow Empire in 1654 on the basis of the March Articles signed by Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

Q: In what year was Ukraine's independence declared?

Ukraine's independence was declared on 24 August 1991.

Q: When was the Ukrainian People's Republic proclaimed?

The Ukrainian People's Republic was proclaimed in November 1917 by the Third Universal.

Q: When did the war in Ukraine begin?

In 2014, Russian troops occupied parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and on 24 February 2022, a full-scale invasion began.

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17 Aug. 2024

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Ukraine's path to independence: the struggle for freedom over the centuries

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Ukraine

The Mongol-Tatar invasion
Ukraine under the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
March articles - Ukraine as part of Muscovy and Bohdan Khmelnytsky's mistake
Ukraine as part of the USSR and World War II
The war of 2014-2024

Ukraine's path to independence has been difficult and long. For many centuries, neighbouring states have been trying to seize fertile territory and annex it to their own. The war with Russia has not lasted 2 years, or even 10. Learn about all the stages of the formation of Ukrainian statehood and its struggle for independence

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Ukraine's struggle for independence has been going on for centuries. Since 1240 (the fall of Kyiv under the onslaught of the Mongol-Tatars), Ukraine has been fighting for its own state. Since 1654 (the signing of the March Articles by Bohdan Khmelnytsky), Ukraine has been fighting for freedom from its eastern neighbour. Dozens of uprisings, hundreds of bloody battles, genocide and the destruction of nationality - this is the struggle over the past 350 years. Independence in 1991 was welcomed by millions of those who fought for freedom, although at the time they did not know that the war was not over. Read the story of the Ukrainian liberation struggle in this article.

The Mongol-Tatar invasion

At the beginning of the 13th century AD, a powerful military and political formation, the Mongol Empire, began to form in the east. The Mongol-Tatars had a unique strategy of warfare that allowed them to capture large areas. The year 1240 is a tragic year in the history of Ukraine-Rus, as it marked the fall of one of the most powerful states of that time. The Mongols took Kyiv... The troops reached the Galicia-Volhynia state, but were stopped by the diplomatic actions of Danylo Halytskyi, an outstanding ruler and commander. However, the world-famous Kyivan Rus ceased to exist after the invasion...

You can get in touch with the history of Ukraine-Rus' while travelling along the Kyiv Region + Chernihiv route, as these two regions were at the centre of a powerful state, and the culture, architecture and history of the ancient Slavs in cities and villages can still be traced to this day. The route cuts across time and space, as in one tour we see the walls of the Tithe Church, which was the last stronghold of resistance to the Mongols, and Yabluneva Street in Bucha, where horrific footage of the consequences of the Russian occupation was filmed.

Ukraine under the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Over time, the Galicia-Volhynia state lost its position on the world stage. In search of allies, it turned to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (then known as the Teutonic Order). The state did not have its own established cultural centre, so it adopted the Ukrainian language, writing, traditions, and ideological positions. However, in 1385, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania united with the Crown of Poland, which marked the formation of a new state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - and a new difficult stage in the Ukrainian struggle for independence. The conflict between Ukrainians and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth arose from the confrontation between Orthodoxy and Catholicism as different streams of Christianity. However, the struggle was not limited to religion. The eastern regions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (now the territories of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and a number of other regions) were poorly controlled by the central government, which allowed the authorities to break the law and commit crimes against vulnerable categories of Ukrainians. The conflict peaked in 1648, when Bohdan Khmelnytsky launched a national liberation uprising that spread over large areas and made it possible to create a new Ukrainian state, the Hetmanate.

The capital returned to Kyiv, and Bohdan Khmelnytsky became the legitimate ruler of the newly created state. The modern Khreshchatyk, St Andrew's Descent, and the mountains of Shchekavytsia and Khorevytsia commemorate the arrival of the legendary commander in the capital. We invite you to join the ancient memory of the city during the Kyiv Invincible tour and see for yourself the legendary history of the Ukrainian capital.

March articles - Ukraine as part of Muscovy and Bohdan Khmelnytsky's mistake

Bohdan Khmelnytsky was looking for a strong ally to help him withstand the struggle against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. He decided to turn to his eastern neighbour, the Muscovy. At first glance, the deal was favourable: the Muscovites did not humiliate the Orthodox, and they were relatively far away, so it was inconvenient to interfere in state affairs. However, this is only at first glance... 1654 was the beginning of the confrontation between Ukrainians and Muscovites. Later, it was this agreement that led to the division of Ukrainian lands between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Muscovy, the burning of Ukrainian hetman capitals, and the destruction of the last Sich on the Dnipro. This is the reason why the occupiers are motivated even now, talking about the ‘little brother’: only 300 years ago they ‘protected’ the Orthodox, and now they are ‘protecting the Russian-speaking population’.

They have been ‘protecting’ us for 300 years with genocide, bloodshed, and torture - this was the case in Baturyn in 1708, and this is what happened in the Kyiv region in 2022. ‘The ‘Mriya’ in Gostomel, the road of life in Romanivka, the blown-up crossing near Irpin, the central street of Bucha - the horrific images have spread around the world and the historical circle started by Baturyn has closed. You can see and hear this story during the tour ‘Support in de-occupied cities’.

Remember. Photography and video recording of the military and military facilities is strictly prohibited.

Ukraine as part of the USSR and World War II

After the collapse of the Russian Empire, the Bolsheviks came to power in Moscow. Ukrainian politicians tried to negotiate, but the Muscovites delayed the process as much as possible. Finally, a historic decision was made: the Third Universal proclaimed the Ukrainian People's Republic in November 1917. However, it was too late... Russian troops were already preparing to attack Kyiv. Students and cadets fought them in January 1918 near the village of Kruty - only a few survived. This day still remains one of the most terrible pages of the Ukrainian struggle. After that, there were dekulakisation, genocide, several famines, the worst of which was in 1932-1933, executions of Ukrainian intellectuals, exile in Siberia, and ‘black funnels’, after which almost no one returned home.

And during the Second World War, the USSR decided to repeat the ‘feat’ of its ancestors with the division of territories. After the war ended, it turned out that the Germans and Russians had signed an agreement - the Molotov-Ribentrop Pact - to divide the territories as a result of the war. And people were dying, taking back their native land from the Nazis piece by piece. You can find out about this during an in-depth tour of the Great Patriotic War Museum in Kyiv. Here you can see samples of military equipment, guns, a fighter jet and elements of an armoured train, and the legendary symbol of Ukraine, the Motherland, is right next door.

The war of 2014-2024

In 2014, war came to Ukraine again. It came unexpectedly, starting with a peaceful protest by Ukrainian students who wanted Ukraine to join the European Union. On 20 February 2014, 107 lives were cut short by a sniper's bullet - now we know them as the Heavenly Hundred. A month later, Russian tanks entered the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The anti-terrorist operation in the east lasted for 10 years, and on 24 February 2024, Ukraine woke up to the sound of explosions.

‘Chuhuiv airport is no more,’ Kharkiv residents read...

‘Missiles are flying towards Kanatovo,’ residents of Kropyvnytskyi saw...

‘It is no longer possible to drive across the bridge’, - said the residents of Kherson...

Ukraine was once again fighting for independence. Kyiv and Kyiv region were among the first to meet the enemy. The scars on the de-occupied territories are still visible - military checkpoints that have changed hands. You can see and touch the struggle for independence during the Kyiv region + escorted tour of the de-occupied cities offered by Visit Ukraine.

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Frequantly

asked questions

What year was Kyiv destroyed by the Tatars?

Kyiv was destroyed by the Mongol-Tatars in 1240. The last fortification of Kyiv was the Tithe Church.

Table of contents

The Mongol-Tatar invasion

Ukraine under the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

March articles - Ukraine as part of Muscovy and Bohdan Khmelnytsky's mistake

Ukraine as part of the USSR and World War II

The war of 2014-2024

Frequantly

asked questions

What year was Kyiv destroyed by the Tatars?

When did Ukraine become part of the Moscow kingdom?

In what year was Ukraine's independence declared?

When was the Ukrainian People's Republic proclaimed?

When did the war in Ukraine begin?

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