Ukraine, a country in the east of Europe, used to be one of republics of the Soviet Union. USSR means the Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics.

Ukraine used to be called Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic until it became an independent country in 1991.

It was a founding member of the USSR, which was formed on 30 December 1922. It was also one of the republics that signed the treaty to dissolve the USSR in December 1991, which ended the Soviet era in the Eastern Europe.

The history of Ukraine as an independent country

Ukraine is the largest country that lies wholly within the geographical boundaries of the European continent.

Russia has a larger territory that lies within Europe, but as a country it is intercontinental, with the biggest part of it in Asia.

Was Ukraine a part of Russia before?

Ukraine as a country is actually the motherland of today’s Russian people. So, if we were to talk about origins, Russians as a nation originate from the territory of modern Ukraine.

Kievan Rus — the territory around today’s Kyiv (Kiev), the capital of Ukraine, was the original territory of the people of the Ancient Russia. The known history of Kiev’s Rus dates to the late 9th century.

Initially Kiev was Rus, and Rus was Kiev.

Kievan Rus became more prosperous by the start of the second millenium, but then infighting between different principalities led by local princes left it fragmented in 13th century. The invasion of Mongol Khans took over weaken principalities.

By the start of 14 century Kiev became unimportant. The territory of both modern Russia and Ukraine, at the time fragmented under powers of local princes, had been invaded by various troops from nearby countries. There had been a lot of fighting in Europe for centuries, with various parts of the modern Russia and Ukraine being ruled by the foreign kings.

It is the ancient Russians from Kiev’s Rus that founded Moscow. The first mention of Moscow is dated 1147.

A Lithuanian prince took over Kiev in 14th century and tried to attack the principality of Moscow, in an attempt to add it to his portfolio of land acquisitions. But he didn’t succeed, thus Moscow was left on its own. The princes, however, signed a treaty dividing the spheres of influence. Thus, Moscow and Kiev went separate ways.

Funny enough, the united state under the Lithuanian prince’s ruling, was named the Great Principality of Lithuania and Rus, although Moscow wasn’t a part of it — Kiev was.

Then Kiev and nearby territories fell under the ruling of Poland.

We should remember that a large part of the territory of modern Ukraine was uninhibited at the time.

In 17th century a large group of Ukrainians started a coop against Polish, and asked Russia for help, which was granted. Thus, the western half of Ukraine stayed under the power of Poland, while the eastern part became associated with Russia, on request of medieval “separatists”.

Ukrainian lands under the Russian protectorate were then acting as a buffer in wars against Turkey. Ukraine was called ‘Malorossiya’, which means ‘Small Russia’.

Swedes also tried to get a piece of action in Ukraine in 17th century, battles and all.

Russians as a nation originate from the territory of modern Ukraine.

When did Ukraine started to be called Ukraine?

The word ‘Ukraine’ (Украина) is first mentioned in 1187 in Kiev’s chronicles and used to describe the territory of Kiev’s Rus.

Polish rulers used the word ‘Ukraine’ to describe all their lands populated by ancestors of Kievan Rus. Possibly, this is how the name originated?

The word ‘Ukraine’ was never used to describe the lands of Russian principalities of Moscow or Novgorod, which weren’t under the ruling of Lithuania or Poland. (However, these lands were under the ruling of Mongol khans for centuries.)

• Russian word ‘krai’ also means ‘land’.
• ‘U kraju’ means ‘on land’
• ‘Okraina’ means ‘outskirts’

It’s hard to say why the territory of modern Ukraine started to be called this name.

According to experts, Ukraine has never officially been called this name until the 20th century.

In mid-19 century the word ‘Ukraine’ stated to be used to describe the lands of Malorossiya, as a separate national entity to Russia.

There was a principality called Slobodsko-Ukrainska with the capital in Kharkiv, but in general, the part of Ukraine separate from Russia was called Malorossiya.

The first international treaty recognizing Ukraine as a state was signed in 1918, when the Russian Empire exited the World War I, following two revolutions (in February and October 1917). The national committees in Kiev had been already formed from mid-1917, following the first Russian revolution in February of the same year.

So, if we were to talk states, Ukraine as an independent state is only 100 years old! In a way, this is why some people argue that Ukraine is actually Russia.

By the same token, others insist that Ukraine is the true heir of Kievan Rus, which unites people that come from the roots, while Moscow is a distant cousin.

What do you think? Does it look like Moscow stole the name ‘Rus’ from its true owner Kiev, while it was under the ruling of nearby princes? And then gave it the name ‘outskirts’ while the native Rus’ lands were suffering from powerful neighbours?

Or does it look like the true Russian spirit was carried over by Moscow, while Kiev followed foreign influences from the west?

What’s the story with disputed territories between Russia and Ukraine?

In 2014 Russia took over the territory of Crimean peninsula, which was a territory of Ukraine since the middle of 20th century.

At the time it was USSR and the peninsula was arbitrary moved under the administration of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, because it made sense from the bureaucratic point of view and made management of the territories simpler. Some areas under the management of the Ukrainian Federative Socialist Republic were aligned as well and became a part of the Russian Socialistic Republic.

But once countries went their own ways in 1991, the old gifting of territories became painful for Moscow. The pinnacle of unhappiness was achieved when Kiev announced plans to join the European Union and NATO.

Moscow decided this would be too much, and made a move to take back the old gift, although it was violating the treaties about not trying the change the territorial boundaries of countries that Russia was part of. Russia quickly organized and executed a referendum in Crimea, after bringing its troops there, which gave the verdict that the people of Crimea wanted to be in Russia and not in Ukraine. Russia took over the lands, and Ukraine couldn’t do anything about it.

Ukraine still considers the territory its own and temporarily occupied. The question, ‘Whom does the Crimea belong to?’ is the tricky question that shows alliances. For patriots of both countries, the answer is obvious: It belongs the their country.

‘Crimea is ours’ was the slogan of 2014 in Russia. The annexation of Crimea is the reason why Russia is under economic sanctions by the European Union and the USA.

So, it’s complicated! But now you at least know a brief history of this complex issue.

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