Вінніпеґ Український № 12 (36) (February 2018)

Peter J. Manastyrsky
UKRAINE
Vsevolod Ivanov. An artist’s view of Neolithic Trypillia around 4000 BCE, one of the
main ancient settlements belonging to the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture, Ukraine
BIRTH
OF A
NATION
U
kraine occupies an important strategic position in Europe, both from a
human and the material basis. By tracing the fate of the Ukrainian people
through the centuries we can explain the process by which Ukraine has
appeared upon the maps of the world. Ukraine has had a sad and tragic history.
The name Ukraine with its translation has been used in a variety of ways
since the 12th century but in the end, the meaning of Ukraine, “land within the
edge of a border” it defines the territory of Kievan Rus (the state which grew
to encompass modern day Ukraine, Byelorussia and north-western portions of
Russia).
Ukrainians are believed to have descended from the Indo-Europeans with
roots found in the Trypillya culture which dates back to the fifth to third millennia
BC.
During a vast period of time, Ukraine was inundated by many other ancient
cultures such as the Scythians, Greek city-states and ancient Rome, to be succeeded
by the Goths and Huns. By the end of the 10th century, the city of
Kyiv became the capital of a powerful state-Kyivan Rus (border stretched from
Baltic to the Black Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains to the Volga River).
Kievan Rus (882-1240 CE)
During a vast period of time, Ukraine
was inundated by many other ancient
cultures such as the Scythians, Greek
city-states and ancient Rome, to be succeeded
by the Goths and Huns. By the
end of the 10th century, the city of Kyiv
became the capital of a powerful state-
Kyivan Rus (border stretched from Baltic
to the Black Sea and from the Carpathian
Mountains to the Volga River).
In 988 AD Prince Volodymyr the medieval
ruler of Kyiv Rus decreed that paganism
be abolished and all citizens be
baptised and introduced Christianity to
his land. Eventually the language spoken
in Kyiv-Rus began to acquire features
which later would develop into the
Ukrainian language. Within the space
of 100 years the Kyiv Rus state created
some of the most beautiful artistic and
architectural monuments of medieval
Christianity in Ukraine.
In 988 AD Prince Volodymyr the medieval
ruler of Kyiv Rus decreed that paganism
be abolished and all citizens be
baptised and introduced Christianity to
his land. Eventually the language spoken
in Kyiv-Rus began to acquire features
which later would develop into the
Ukrainian language. Within the space
of 100 years the Kyiv Rus state created
some of the most beautiful artistic and
architectural monuments of medieval
Christianity in Ukraine.
The 13th century saw a devastating
invasion of the Mongols which dealt a
mortal blow to Kyivan Rus which had
already been weakened by internal
strife with local rulers vying for power.
28 Український Вінніпеґ - ЛЮТИЙ 2018 -