Heartwarming Photos Show Ukrainians Celebrating Independence from the Soviet Union, 1991

The disintegration of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s created a political vacuum, prompting many republics to reconsider their status. Ukraine was no exception. On August 24, 1991, the Ukrainian parliament, moved by the wave of national consciousness and the popular desire for sovereignty, declared Ukraine an independent state. This decision was later confirmed by a national referendum on December 1, 1991, where an overwhelming majority of Ukrainians voted in favor of independence.

A Nation Celebrates

When Ukraine proclaimed its independence, the entire nation erupted in a spontaneous outpouring of happiness and pride. The streets of Kyiv, Lviv, Odessa, and countless other cities and towns echoed with jubilant cries, traditional songs, and the serene hum of conversations filled with hope. Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv’s central square, transformed into a sea of blue and yellow as families, children, and the elderly came together, waving the national flag, sharing stories, and dreaming of a promising future. Iconic Ukrainian tunes resonated, while dances like the Hopak captured the essence of the celebration. It wasn’t just a political victory; it was a cultural and emotional renaissance, a reclaiming of identity that had been suppressed for generations.

For many Ukrainians, this wasn’t just a day; it was the culmination of a long-held dream, a moment their ancestors had yearned for. Grandparents with tears in their eyes narrated tales of past struggles to the younger generation, ensuring that the significance of this newfound freedom was deeply understood. Churches rang their bells in joyous symphony, artists painted scenes of the celebrations, and poets penned verses capturing the essence of the moment. In every corner, there was a sense of unity, a collective feeling of achievement, and an overwhelming belief in the nation’s potential.

Life After the Declaration: The Path of Nation Building

Post-independence euphoria gradually transitioned into the realization of the enormous task of nation-building that lay ahead. With the joy of freedom came the weight of responsibility. Ukraine, emerging from the shadows of the Soviet regime, was confronted with multifaceted challenges. The economy, previously interwoven with the Soviet system, faced inflation, industrial setbacks, and the pressing need for reforms. Politically, establishing a robust democratic framework was crucial, and this involved creating a constitution, ensuring fair governance, and addressing regional complexities, particularly regarding Crimea.

#1 Crowds wearing Ukraine’s national colors demonstrate in front of the Communist Party headquarters in Kyiv in August 1991.

During the Soviet era, expressions of Ukrainian linguistic, cultural, and religious identity were suppressed. Ukrainians were sometimes killed, imprisoned, or exiled for the simple reason that they were thought to be in favor of Ukraine's independence.

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#2 Elections in March 1990 fractured the Communist Party’s monopoly on power in Ukraine. Months later, as Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev sought to prevent the disintegration of the U.S.S.R., hundreds of thousands of people participated in protests and strikes across Ukraine calling for independence.

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#3 Ukrainians celebrated the August 24 proclamation by tossing former political prisoner Levko Lukyanenko into the air.

Lukyanenko was one of the founders of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group in 1976. He was also a co-author of the 1991 independence declaration.

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#4 A campaign worker holds up a newspaper that says “For a Free Ukraine” in Kyiv.

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#5 Vyacheslav Chornovil was surrounded by members of the press in Lviv as the nation voted.

Chornovil was a prominent Ukrainian politician and Soviet dissident who had founded the Popular Movement of Ukraine, which had pushed for reforms and more sovereignty. After years of political persecution and multiple arrests, he was able to run as a candidate for president.

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#6 Under the watchful gaze of Taras Shevchenko, voters cast their ballots. Shevchenko’s literary legacy is widely regarded as the bedrock of modern Ukrainian literature and, to a large extent, the modern Ukrainian language.

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#7 Dissidents paid an especially heavy price, such as Vasyl Stus, Yuriy Lytvyn, and Oleksa Tykhyi, who were reburied (pictured) in Kyiv on November 19, 1989, with the then-banned Ukrainian flag proudly displayed.

The three died while serving time for various crimes including "anti-Soviet activity" and "anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda."

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#8 On January 21, 1990, 3 million Ukrainians joined hands to form a human chain, the “Ukrainian Wave,” from Lviv to the capital, Kyiv (pictured), to commemorate the 71st anniversary of a short-lived Ukrainian republic established in 1919.

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#9 On August 1, 1991, U.S. President George Bush delivered his “Chicken Kiev” speech, in which he warned Ukrainians about the dangers of “suicidal nationalism,” a phrase used by Gorbachev.

He further exhorted them to remember that "freedom is not the same as independence." Four months later, Bush reversed course when he was forced to recognize an independent Ukraine.

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#10 An attempted putsch was launched between August 19 and August 22 by hard-line communists seeking to overthrow Gorbachev and reverse his reforms.

Their efforts faced popular resistance and quickly collapsed. In the chaotic days that followed, on August 24, the Ukrainian parliament declared the country's independence. The declaration was made subject to popular ratification by a referendum on December 1, 1991.

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#11 The first direct presidential elections in Ukraine’s history were to take place on December 1, 1991, the same day as its independence referendum.

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#12 A supporter carries a campaign poster for former dissident Lukyanenko, now a presidential candidate, in Kyiv.

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#13 Both Ukrainian and European flags are seen during a pro-independence rally in Kyiv.

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#14 The historic ballot contains the question: “Do you confirm the Act of Proclamation of the Independence of Ukraine?” with two possible answers: “Yes, confirm” or “No, do not confirm.”

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#15 Ukrainians cast their ballots in Kyiv on December 1, 1991.

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#16 Voters wait patiently to cast their ballots at the Kalinin mine in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine.

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#17 Voters in Odesa sign in to receive their ballots.

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#18 Lukyanenko signs in to cast his vote.

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#19 Cadets at a polling station in Kyiv.

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#20 Serhiy Hodorovskiy (right) watches as his grandmother, Rosa Hordorovskaiya, 80, casts her ballot in her Kyiv home. Rosa was too old to walk to the polling station, so the ballot box was brought to her.

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#21 Kravchuk casts his vote in Kyiv. Kravchuk would receive 61.6 percent of the votes and become Ukraine’s first president. He was followed by Chornovil with 23.3 percent.

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#22 The turnout in the election was 84 percent and the vote was overwhelmingly for independence. More than 90 percent voted in favor. In Crimea, the pro-independence vote was 55 percent.

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#23 On December 8, 1991, Ukrainian President Kravchuk (second from left), Belarusian Supreme Soviet Chairman Stanislav Shushkevich (third from left), and Russian President Boris Yeltsin (second from right) signed a declaration that “the Soviet Union as a geopolitical reality [and] a subject of international law has ceased to exist.”

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#24 New Year’s party at Victor and Karitia’s flat, December 1992.

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#25 A family sits in their car to keep warm on New Year’s Day in Donetsk, 1993. The temperature outside was minus 15 degrees Celsius.

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#26 People dancing at a wedding reception, April 1992.

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#27 Irina preparing her veil on her wedding day, June 1993.

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#28 Miners drinking and dining at Victor and Karitia’s old flat after a mining shift, December 1993.

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#29 Irina and Dmitri at the local Russian Orthodox Church on their wedding day, June 1993.

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#30 Iliya, the son of Irina and Dmitri, sleeping by the window, May 1994. He was 5 days old at the time. The following week, Iliya tragically died from meningitis, a devastating shock for his parents and family. They went on to have several more children.

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#31 A petty thief signing his confession at the local police station, December 1992. The arresting officer stands in the background.

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#32 Miners in the changing rooms after a shift at the coal mine, December 1991.

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#33 An intoxicated person in the back of a police van, December 1992.

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#34 Demonstration at Soviet Headquarters in Kiev Following Ukrainian Independence, 1991

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#35 Crowd Holds Demonstration Outside Soviet Headquarters in Kiev After Ukrainian Independence, 1991

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#36 Public Demonstration at Soviet Headquarters in Kiev Celebrating Ukrainian Independence, 1991

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#37 Pro-Independence Rally in Central Kiev with Three-Finger Salute, Emblem of Ukraine, 1991

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#38 Ukrainians Celebrate Independence in Front of Communist Party Headquarters in Kiev, 1991

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#39 Drawing on Lenin Monument in Kiev After Ukrainian Independence Declaration, 1991

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#40 Statue Removed from Liberty Square, Formerly Lenin Square, in Central Kiev, 1991

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#41 Ukrainians Remove Soviet Flag from Communist Party Headquarters in Kiev, 1991

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#42 Boris Yeltsin and Leonid Kravchuk Sign Economic Agreement in Moscow, 1991

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#43 Joyous Ukrainians in Front of Communist Party Headquarters After Independence Announcement, 1991

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#44 Election Campaign for Ukrainian Independence Referendum, 1991

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#45 President Leonid Kravchuk Exits Polling Station During Ukrainian Independence Vote, 1991

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#46 Woman Stands on Graffiti-Covered Lenin Monument Pedestal in Kiev, 1991

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#47 Ukrainians Flash V-Sign After Independence Declaration in Kiev, 1991

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#48 Demonstration to Reopen St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev Following Independence, 1991

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#49 Ukrainian Australians Rally for Independence Recognition in Lidcombe, 1991

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#50 Supporters Hold Effigy of Leonid Kravchuk During Pro-Independence Rally in Kiev, 1991

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#51 Politicians Attend Demonstration in Kiev After Ukrainian Independence, 1991

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#52 Crimean Tatars Protest for Autonomy Outside Ukrainian Parliament, 1992

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#53 Ukrainians Remove Inscriptions from Lenin Monument in Kiev, 1991

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#54 Candidate Kravchuk Meets with Church Leaders Before Presidential Election, 1991

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#55 Folk Dancers Perform in Lvov Celebrating Ukrainian Independence, 1993

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#56 Policeman Guards Lenin Monument in Kiev After Independence, 1991

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#57 Ukrainian Soldiers Prepare for Independence Anniversary, 1994

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#58 Released Political Prisoner in Kiev, 1991

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#59 Ukrainians Surround Lenin Monument in Kiev After Independence, 1991

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#60 Crimean Tatar Women Protest for Autonomy Outside Ukrainian Parliament, 1992

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#61 Friends Carry Released Political Prisoner in Kiev After Independence, 1991

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#62 Police Break Up Demonstrator Tussle at Lenin Monument in Kiev, 1991

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#63 Juggler Entertains in Kiev with Lenin Statue in Background, 1991

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#64 Economic Agreement Signed Between Boris Yeltsin and Leonid Kravchuk, 1991

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#65 Supporters protest in Simferopol against Russia’s claim that Crimea’s 1954 transfer was unconstitutional, 1992.

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#66 Presidents Boris Yeltsin and Leonid Kravchuk shake hands after Ukraine joins economic treaty, 1991.

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#67 Tourist photographer’s display featuring Kodak and Polaroid in Independence Square, Kiev, 1995.

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#68 People gather in Kiev to celebrate Ukraine’s declaration of independence, 1991.

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#69 Clergy members demonstrate to reopen St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev following Ukrainian independence, 1991.

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