Proclamation of the Act of Unification of Ukrainian Lands on St Sophia Square in Kyiv. 22 January 1919/Photo: Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance
Today, on 22 January, we commemorate the Day of Unity of Ukraine. On this day in 1919, the Act of Unification of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic was proclaimed, marking the consolidation of our lands. This event and the historical period hold profound significance for modern Ukrainian statehood.
Ivan Stychynskyi, a historian, ethnologist, PhD in History, and a member of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, shared insights on Hromadske Radio.
«The Act of Unification itself states that the state «happened», and subsequent events, including occupation, did not positively influence the state. However, our restored independence today demonstrates that the state indeed originated during that period.
It truly was the unification of Ukraine. Prior to that, in the early twentieth century, Ukraine was fragmented across several states, including the Russian Empire and Austria-Hungary. During the First World War, these states disintegrated, and both parts of Ukraine initiated parallel state-building processes until the moment when Ukraine could unite. This idea had been cherished by our intelligentsia for a considerable time. Hence, when it finally transpired, it became the pinnacle of the liberation struggle», — explained Stychynskyi.
This period, along with the Act of Unification, holds significance for the contemporary understanding of Ukraine, its territory, and unity. This historical context played a crucial role in the restoration of Ukraine’s independence in 1991.
«When we speak of the Act of Unification, of the Day of Unity, it signifies the affirmation of Ukraine in its modern form. It refutes both the Soviet and Russian myths that Ukraine was united by Stalin. Discussing the Ukrainian revolution and the broader liberation struggle, its role was instrumental in securing Ukraine’s independence. This formed a substantial foundation in the 1990s during the restoration of independence, and it did not happen in isolation. We had a history of statehood, and its definition largely aligns with today’s borders. Our contemporary perception of Ukraine owes much to those times», — emphasized the historian.