How many years of Ukraine's independence: interesting facts

The declaration of independence is a crucial event in the history of the Ukrainian state and people. On August 24, 1991, after many centuries of struggle for its own identity, the nation finally united in a single desire for independent existence on the world stage.

The day of the adoption of the Act of Independence of Ukraine is of great historical value. OBOZ.UA tells about the interesting facts of this process.

On August 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the Act of Independence of Ukraine. Since then, every year on August 24, the country celebrates a holiday in honor of this event. Thus, in 2024, Ukrainians will celebrate the 33rd anniversary.

Interesting facts about the Independence Day of Ukraine

1. Initially, Ukraine's Independence Day was celebrated on July 16 in honor of the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty. But after the August coup, it was decided to declare full independence, so the date was changed to August 24.
   
2. The draft of the Act of Independence was written in the morning of August 23, 1991, by Leontii Sanduliak and Levko Lukyanenko in an ordinary school notebook.
3. According to Levko Lukianenko's memoirs, the deputies had to write a bill without controversial provisions in order to pass it in one day. If it had taken longer, the declaration of independence would probably not have been possible.
4. The text of the Declaration of Independence contained 93 words, was typed and took up only 1 page.
   
5. At an extraordinary extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR, 346 deputies voted for independence.
6. After the extraordinary meeting, the opposition performed the anthem of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen near the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada.
7. After the declaration of independence, Viacheslav Chornovil proposed to bring the blue and yellow flag with which Ukrainians stood on the barricades near the Russian White House into the parliamentary hall. The flag was then raised over the dome of the parliament. Thus, after the adoption of the act, the Ukrainian flag flew over Kyiv for the first time since June 1920.
   
8. To legitimize the declaration of independence, an all-Ukrainian referendum was held, in which more than 90% of respondents answered in the affirmative to the question "Do you confirm the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine?"
9. Poland and Canada were the first countries to recognize Ukraine's independence.
10. The first military parade in honor of independence was held on August 24, 1994.

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