Portal:Ukraine
The Ukraine Portal - Портал України
Ukraine Україна (Ukrainian) | |
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ISO 3166 code | UA |
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast. It also borders Belarus to the north; Poland and Slovakia to the west; Hungary, Romania and Moldova to the southwest; with a coastline along the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to the south and southeast. Kyiv is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Odesa. Ukraine's official language is Ukrainian.
During the Middle Ages, Ukraine was the site of early Slavic expansion and the area later became a key centre of East Slavic culture under the state of Kievan Rus', which emerged in the 9th century. The state eventually disintegrated into rival regional powers and was destroyed by the Mongol invasions of the 13th century. The area was then contested, divided, and ruled by a variety of external powers for the next 600 years, including the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Austrian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Tsardom of Russia. The Cossack Hetmanate emerged in central Ukraine in the 17th century, but was partitioned between Russia and Poland, and absorbed by the Russian Empire. Ukrainian nationalism developed and, following the Russian Revolution in 1917, the short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic was formed. The Bolsheviks consolidated control over much of the former empire and established the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, which became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union when it was formed in 1922. In the early 1930s, millions of Ukrainians died in the Holodomor, a human-made famine. The German occupation during World War II in Ukraine was devastating, with 7 million Ukrainian civilians killed, including most Ukrainian Jews.
Ukraine gained independence in 1991 as the Soviet Union dissolved, and declared itself neutral. A new constitution was adopted in 1996. A series of mass demonstrations, known as the Euromaidan, led to the establishment of a new government in 2014 after a revolution. Russia then unilaterally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and pro-Russian unrest culminated in a war in the Donbas between Russian-backed separatists and government forces in eastern Ukraine. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since the outbreak of war with Russia, Ukraine has continued to seek closer ties with the United States, European Union, and NATO.
Ukraine is a unitary state and its system of government is a semi-presidential republic. A developing country, it is the poorest country in Europe by nominal GDP per capita and corruption remains a significant issue. However, due to its extensive fertile land, pre-war Ukraine was one of the largest grain exporters in the world. Ukraine is considered a middle power in global affairs, and the Ukrainian Armed Force is the fifth largest armed force in the world in terms of both active personnel as well as total number of personnel with the eighth largest defence budget in the world. The Ukrainian Armed Forces also operates one of the largest and most diverse drone fleets in the world. It is a founding member of the United Nations, as well as a member of the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization, and the OSCE. It is in the process of joining the European Union and has applied to join NATO. (Full article...)
In the news
- 11 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Mykolaiv strikes, Zaporizhzhia strikes
- Five people are killed and 18 others, including five children, are injured in Russian air strikes on Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. (DW) (Arab News)
- 10 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- November 2024 Moscow drone attack
- One person is injured and at least 36 flights are diverted when 34 Ukrainian drones strike Moscow, Russia. (CBC News)
- 8 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Kharkiv strikes, Kyiv strikes, Odesa strikes
- One person is killed and at least 38 others are injured in Russian airstrikes in Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Odesa, Ukraine. (AP)
- 8 November 2024 – Ukraine–United States relations
- The United States lifts its ban on deploying military contractors to Ukraine, thereby enabling American companies to directly assist with the maintenance and repair of U.S.-made weapons, such as F-16 fighter aircraft and Patriot air defense systems. The U.S. says that its contractors will be positioned far from the front lines and will not engage in combat with Russian forces. (CNN)
- 7 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Zaporizhzhia strikes
- Four people are killed and 33 others are injured when Russian guided bombs hit residences, an apartment building, and a medical center in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. (Reuters)
Featured pictures
Did you know (auto-generated)
- ... that German violinist and professor Aleksey Semenenko was stranded in Ukraine for a month because Russia invaded the country the day after his performance?
- ... that the Jihadist Burkinabè rebels' ongoing siege of Djibo has been described as a "Ukrainian death"?
- ... that military volunteer Maria Berlinska led the report that let women hold combat positions in the Ukrainian military?
- ... that Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine, said that Ukrainians care less about her being transgender than Americans do?
- ... that 30 Ukrainian anarchists defeated more than 500 Austrian imperial soldiers at the Battle of Dibrivka?
- ... that a journalist dubbed Olena Shevchenko as "probably the most famous lesbian in Ukraine"?
More did you know -
- ... that the Khreschatyk is the main street of Ukrainian capital Kyiv on which Orange Revolution and other historical events mainly took place?
- ... that although the secular music of Mykola Leontovych was well known in the twentieth century, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was little known because of a ban on sacred music in the Soviet Union?
- ... that the longest of the Kiev bridges, the 1,543 metres long Paton Bridge over the Dnieper River, constructed in 1953 was the first fully welded steel construction of such length at that time?
- ... that the Kryvbas economic region in Ukraine is one of the largest iron ore and steel industry centers in Europe?
- ... that according to legend, a tunnel leads from the Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle to the Khotyn Fortress which is 20 kilometres (12 mi) away?
- ... that Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych (pictured), known for the "Carol of the Bells", was nicknamed "Ukrainian Bach" in France?
Selected article -
This is a list that encompasses and includes all leaders and rulers in the history of Ukraine. This page includes the titles of the Grand Prince of Kiev, Prince of Chernigov, Prince of Pereiaslavl, Grand Prince of Galicia–Volhynia, Hetman of Ukraine and President of Ukraine. The following list begins with the semi-legendary founders of Kyiv and the first Norse rulers of Kyiv, who ruled over the territory of Ukraine during Antiquity, and is followed by the Grand rulers and princes who ruled over the territory of Kievan Rus and later Ruthenia as part of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and continues with the hetmans and presidents of Ukraine.
As a distinct geographic region, Ukraine has been known by a plethora of names, such as: Kievan Rus, Rus', the Kingdom of Galicia-Volhynia, the Zaporozhian Host and the Hetmanate of Ukraine. The sovereigns of these political entities have accordingly been described in a variety of ways: knyaz, knyahinya, korol, hetman and president. Two of the earliest noble titles: knyaz and velyky knyaz translate into English as "Prince" and "Grand Prince" respectively, whilst korol translates into 'king'. (Full article...)
In the news
- 11 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Mykolaiv strikes, Zaporizhzhia strikes
- Five people are killed and 18 others, including five children, are injured in Russian air strikes on Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. (DW) (Arab News)
- 10 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- November 2024 Moscow drone attack
- One person is injured and at least 36 flights are diverted when 34 Ukrainian drones strike Moscow, Russia. (CBC News)
- 8 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Kharkiv strikes, Kyiv strikes, Odesa strikes
- One person is killed and at least 38 others are injured in Russian airstrikes in Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Odesa, Ukraine. (AP)
- 8 November 2024 – Ukraine–United States relations
- The United States lifts its ban on deploying military contractors to Ukraine, thereby enabling American companies to directly assist with the maintenance and repair of U.S.-made weapons, such as F-16 fighter aircraft and Patriot air defense systems. The U.S. says that its contractors will be positioned far from the front lines and will not engage in combat with Russian forces. (CNN)
- 7 November 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Zaporizhzhia strikes
- Four people are killed and 33 others are injured when Russian guided bombs hit residences, an apartment building, and a medical center in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. (Reuters)
Selected anniversaries for November
- November 11—November 12, 1918 — Battle of Przemyśl was fought between Polish and Ukrainian forces.
- November 24, 2007 - the official day of remembrance for people who died as a result of Holodomor and political repression.
Photo gallery
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Notes
- ^ In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Ilyich and the family name is Brezhnev.