Consulate General of Ukraine in Mumbai

📄 On July 16, 1990, the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR – a document that became one of the most important milestones on Ukraine’s path to restoring its independence 🇺🇦

The Declaration affirmed the Ukrainian people’s right to determine their own future. It established that the people are the sole source of state power and that Ukraine has the right to pursue its own domestic and foreign policy, as well as to develop its economy, education, science and culture independently.

Although Ukraine remained part of the Soviet Union at the time, the Declaration laid the legal and political foundations for the country’s future independence. Just over a year later, on August 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine, and on December 1, the Ukrainian people overwhelmingly confirmed that decision in a nationwide referendum.

Thirty-six years ago, the Declaration of State Sovereignty expressed the Ukrainian people’s determination to choose their own path – a principle that remains as strong today as ever.

This Ukrainian Statehood Day, explore objects that tell the story of Ukraine's statehood across more than a thousand years 🇺🇦

Together, they reveal a continuous tradition of our statehood, with each generation building on the legacy of those who came before.

This Ukrainian Statehood Day reminds us of more than a thousand years of Ukraine’s state-building tradition and honours all those who have contributed to the existence of Ukraine as an independent and democratic state.

The history of Ukrainian statehood begins with the medieval state of Rus, centred in Kyiv. It was here that the political, legal and cultural traditions that laid the foundation of Ukrainian statehood were formed. The adoption of Christianity by Volodymyr the Great in 988 marked a civilisational choice that shaped Ukraine’s development for centuries to come.

Throughout the centuries, Ukrainians have defended their right to live freely in their own country. From Rus, through the Cossack state, the Ukrainian People’s Republic and other milestones of our state-building, to the restoration of independence in 1991, our history has been one of resilience and an enduring pursuit of freedom.

Today, Ukraine is once again protecting its independence. Our defenders, diplomats, volunteers, healthcare workers, educators, and millions of Ukrainians strengthen our country every day through their dedication, unity, and courage 🇺🇦

Who inherited the legacy of Rus – one of the largest and most influential states in medieval Europe? Russia often claims it as its own exclusive past. But the story actually begins in Kyiv.

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