Ukraine: A Long Road to Independence

Ukraine: A Long Road to Independence

— by David Eugene Perry

24 August 1991: Ukranian Independence Day. Today, we salute the proud and brave people of Ukraine as they celebrate their national identity and continue the righteous fight to preserve their freedoms in the face of naked, lawless aggression and cowardly appeasement.

We stand with Ukraine and with all our friends from that country.

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From Empire to First Independence

For centuries, Ukraine endured domination under foreign empires—first the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union. Yet the spirit of independence was never extinguished.

In 1917, with the collapse of the Romanov dynasty, Ukrainians seized the opportunity to declare their own state. The Ukrainian People’s Republic (UPR) was born, led by the Central Rada in Kyiv. On January 22, 1918, the Rada issued the Fourth Universal, proclaiming Ukraine’s independence. At the same time, in the west, the West Ukrainian People’s Republic emerged, centered in Lviv.

In 1919, the two republics attempted to unite in Kyiv through the “Act Zluky,” a symbolic gesture of national unity. But the young state faced impossible odds. Civil war, invasions, and the advance of Bolshevik forces brought the experiment to an end by 1921. Still, the flame of independence had been lit.

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The Soviet Period

Ukraine became the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, a founding member of the Soviet Union. On paper, the constitution gave republics the right to secede. In reality, the Soviet state crushed national aspirations.

The memory of independence was further scarred by unimaginable suffering. The Holodomor famine of 1932–33, engineered by Stalin’s regime, claimed millions of lives and sought to break Ukraine’s will. Despite repression, dissidents, intellectuals, and ordinary people kept alive the dream of sovereignty.

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The Second Chance: 1991

The collapse of the USSR in 1991 finally reopened the door to freedom. After a failed coup in Moscow that August, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, declared full independence on August 24, 1991. The document, the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine, explicitly cited the people’s right to self-determination and the need to protect the nation from Moscow’s instability.

In December, Ukrainians overwhelmingly ratified this declaration in a nationwide referendum, with over 92% voting in favor, including majorities in regions like Crimea and Donbas.

For the first time in centuries, Ukraine’s independence was not fleeting—it was real, lasting, and affirmed by its people.

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Continuity and Courage

Ukraine’s modern Independence Day on August 24 is not merely a date on a calendar. It represents the culmination of centuries of struggle, echoing the first declaration of 1918 and honoring the sacrifices made along the way.

The dream that flickered in Kyiv in 1918 found its full light in 1991. But independence has never come easy. The ongoing war, triggered by Russia’s unlawful invasion in 2014 and escalated brutally in 2022, has made clear that the fight for freedom continues.

Yet Ukraine stands. Its people—resilient, proud, and unyielding—continue to defend not only their sovereignty but the very principles of democracy and justice.

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Standing With Ukraine

From the peasants and intellectuals of 1917 to the citizens and soldiers of today, Ukraine’s story is one of courage against overwhelming odds.

As the blue and yellow flag flies high this Independence Day, it carries with it the weight of history and the promise of a free future.

Slava Ukraini. Glory to Ukraine.