Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine attained independence. Since then, it has oscillated between wanting to become more integrated into Western Europe and being drawn into Russia's sphere of influence because Russia perceives a Western-leaning Ukraine as a threat to its interests.
Ukraine, the second-largest nation in Europe, is characterized by its vast, productive agricultural plains and significant concentrations of heavy industry in its eastern regions.
The west of the country has stronger ties with its European neighbors, especially Poland, and nationalist sentiment has been strongest there, despite the fact that Ukraine and Russia have similar historical origins.
Particularly in cities and the industrialized east, a sizeable portion of the population speaks Russian as their mother tongue.
2014 saw a coup against Viktor Yanukovych, a pro-Russian leader, ushering in a string of pro-Western governments.
However, Russia took advantage of the situation to take control of the Crimean Peninsula and arm rebel organizations to occupy areas in the east, eventually starting a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
- with capital letters. Kyiv.
- Area:. 603,550 sq km.
- Population:. 43.5% million.
- Language:. Ukrainian.
- the length of life. men aged 68 and women aged 77.
Volodymyr Zelensky is in charge.
In a television comedy program, Mr. Zelensky played a fictional president, and his successful campaign for office reflected the anti-establishment stance of his real-life counterpart.
He now has control over both the executive and the legislature after his Servant of the People party won early parliamentary elections in July 2019.
President Zelensky declared in his inaugural speech that suppressing the Moscow-backed insurgency in the east would be his top priority before rallying Ukrainians against a Russian invasion in 2022.
He proclaimed martial law in all of Ukraine after the invasion got underway and called for a general mobilization of the armed forces. Widespread international acclaim for his leadership during the crisis has led to him being referred to as a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance.
Following the Russian annexation of Crimea and the war in the east, the nation's media have all adopted a common patriotic agenda.
Replays of popular Russian TV channels have been outlawed in Ukraine, and as a result, pro-Kyiv outlets have been silenced in regions controlled by Russia or separatists.
A few well-known Russian websites and social networks are also blocked by the government.
Since the outbreak of the main conflict, Ukrainians have changed the way they consume media. Social media has supplanted television as their primary news source, while new TV channels have continued to be launched despite the fighting.
Several significant dates in Ukraine's history are:.
1918 . - After the Russian Revolution, Ukraine formally declares its independence.
1921 . - As the Russian Red Army conquers two-thirds of Ukraine, Soviet rule is established.
1932 . - During Stalin's campaign for collectivization, at least 7 million peasants die from a man-made famine.
1941-44 . - The Nazi occupation of Ukraine results in terrible wartime destruction.
1945 . - The Soviet Union successfully annexes western Ukrainian lands as a result of the Allies' victory in World War II.
1986 . - A reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant catches fire and explodes, spreading radioactive material throughout Europe.
1991 . - Ukraine formally declares its independence as the Soviet Union begins to fall apart.
2004 . - The Orange Revolution's large-scale demonstrations compel a pro-European change of government.
2014 . A pro-Kremlin government is overthrown in February as a result of the stagnant EU association agreement. Following its seizure of the Crimean Peninsula, Russia starts an insurgency to seize territory in eastern Ukraine.
2022 . Russia begins a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. President Zelensky marshals opposition to the invasion. As part of its attempt to overthrow the government, Russia initially occupies sizable portions of eastern Ukraine.
2022. Russian forces try to capture Kyiv as part of their initial attack from February to April during the Battle for Kyiv. Russian forces were driven back in March by a counterattack by Ukrainian forces.
2022. During the months of August through November, Ukraine launches a significant counteroffensive in the south-east, retaking Kherson in November and driving Russian forces back across the Dnipro River.
2023. June: The Dnipro river's Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine is destroyed, causing extensive flooding and disruption. Russian forces were in charge of the dam at the time.
