Bartholomew I signs the Tomos of Autocephaly, marking the formal independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church at the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Istanbul

Why the bomb laid under the foundation of the USSR exploded

Kyiv hosted a military parade on the 27th anniversary of Ukraine's independence on August 24. Some 4,500 soldiers, 250 military vehicles, and 18 units comprised of 300 foreign troops took part in the parade, which also featured women who are in Ukraine's military forces.

Armed forces and armored vehicles paraded through the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, during a celebration of the country's Independence Day on August 24.

25 years—the length of a single generation. I remember myself as a member of the generation that welcomed Independence in 1991, that made a conscious choice in favor of a free Ukraine. 25 years ago, it was important for us that there simply be a Ukraine

When Ukraine declared independence on August 24, 1991, it not only meant the revival of the Ukrainian state—it was the decisive event in the collapse of the totalitarian soviet empire

The possibility of change, and the opportunity to make that change stick brings meaning to the idea of independence for many ordinary Ukrainians today

International lawyer Volodymyr Vasylenko speaks about the events leading to Ukraine's independence

Historian Stanislav Kulchytsky speaks to The Ukrainian Week about why the Kremlin needs Ukraine, what threat the annexation of Crimea poses for Russia, what the essence of the problem in Ukrainian-Russian relations is, and how the political Ukrainian nation is emerging

The Ukrainian Week speaks to proactive young Ukrainians – soldiers, volunteers and activists – to find out what they think of as their major accomplishment, of their peers in politics, and of leaving Ukraine

The revolutionary Christmas Tree on Independence Square, fairs, carols with Cossacks and festive symphonies to see and hear this season

US Federal Judge Bohdan Futey talks about the new generation of Ukrainians and threats to Ukraine's independence

Independence is not only “from what” or “from whom” – it is also “for what purpose”. True independence still needs to be won, because it is in people’s heads, not in border checkpoints

On June 28, Ukraine marks the 17th anniversary of the adoption of its current Constitution

20 August 1991 is the Estonian Re-Independence Day. Namely, on that day just a few minutes before midnight, the Supreme Council of Estonia declared Estonia independent and some days later the international recognitions began to pour in. The way Estonian independence was declared and what was written in the Supreme Council’s declaration continue to influence Estonian society today.

Ukraine’s national flag, emblem and anthem have a long history and national status but have yet to become true national symbols

20 years is a significant stretch of time on the verge of the 20th and 21st centuries, packed with events

Independence by instinct

Ukraine failed to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the collapse of the USSR. This can be blamed on the unreadiness of the counter-elite and shortsightedness of the political establishment

When empires crack, states emerge on their ruins, the emergence of which no one counted on

Lost opportunities

In its first years of independence, Ukrainian politics took the steps necessary for the creation of Ukraine as an independent country but never resolved the fundamental problems of its development

Bagging the country

The late 1990s brought a system of governance to Ukraine that sent the country tumbling into poverty

The assassination of Vadym Hetman removed all barriers to the chaotic disbursement of the banking and financial sector in Ukraine and opened the way for the tycoon-controlled economy

The first steps

The failed test

The inability of the oligarch regime to withstand systemic pressure from abroad virtually led to the loss of sovereignty. It was only the response of society that saved the country

Throughout all 20 years of the new history of Ukraine, schemes have been used for energy resource supplies, to the detriment of the country, but which made specific people much richer

The wasted trust

The opposition failed to fulfill the task of society and eliminate the oligarch and lumpen system in the early 2000s. There is still hope for the emergence of a new counter-elite

Only a force that relies on the middle class and a right-centrist ideology can pull Ukraine out of the oligarchs' vicious circle

The new elite must show the way to eliminating the oligarch-controlled model and discovering Ukraine’s potential

It’s time for Ukrainians to demand open-list voting to enable local party members to influence the way these lists are filled and to get involved in the political decision-making process