A Nation of Dreamers

Ukrainians have been a nation of dreamers. In our history, there are an unusual number of Ukrainian individuals who participated in the human effort to fly - beyond the horizon and above it. Sikorsky taught people to fly as Leonardo once imagined. Korolyov sent a man into space. Kondratyuk (Sharhei) – helped pave the way to the Moon. They all dreamed the impossible dream. Perhaps that is why "Antonov" named the world's largest plane Mriya, the Ukrainian word for "Dream"?

Making the Past Accessible: How Ukrainian Scholars Returned the Taken Archives of the NKVD

A detective story about how more than 400 NKVD files on combating Ukrainian guerillas were taken away from Ukraine in late 1980s and who and how manages to bring these records back.

Stalin's "Fight Against Banditry." Round One: 1944

A unit of the 1st Battalion of the 220th Border Regiment of the NKVD suffered a crushing defeat in a battle with the UPA-North Brigade "Pamyat Bazaru".The unit was surrounded, divided into several groups, and eventually almost completely destroyed. The battle took place on the anniversary of the execution by the Chekisks of 360 captured participants of the Second Winter March of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic in 1921 near the village of Bazar. Thus, the UPA-North brigade symbolically repaid the Communists for the deaths of Ukrainian soldiers.

The legend about the Orzhiv operation: How the Internal Troops of the NKVD accidentally killed Klym Savur

While reading this document, one gets the impression that the Orzhiv operation was similar in scale to the "battle for Berlin". Apparently, the Chekists did not want to lag behind the Red Army in the "victorious heat" and the banal accidental liquidation of "Savur" was described as a large-scale operation involving personally the highest command of the USSR State Security.

Artists and the KGB: skeletons in the closet of the artist Mykola Glushchenko

Despite his background, the artist managed to build a successful career. When Hlushchenko returned to the Soviet Union in the 1930s, they did not purge him, as was often the case. However, Hlushchenko was often sent on business trips abroad, could meet foreign nationals in the Soviet Union without restrictions, accompanied diplomatic missions, could easily send letters abroad and receive parcels with foreign books.

Babyn Yar. The museum of horrors directed by Khrzhanovsky

Certain areas of the exposition will be connected by corridors in complete blackout, through which visitors will be led by blind guides. Different physical elements will be present at the corridors, which will have a strong emotional impact on the visitors. For example: sounds, feeling of wetness around, low temperature, metal, soft floor, smells and uncertainty regarding the length of the route.

The Directory: Who, Why, How?

In the summer of 1918 the opponents of Hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky regime who had assembled in Ukrainian National Union (UNUnion) became politically radicalized. Opposition activists embarked on plotting an armed rebellion. The Directory (Directorate) — the rebellion executive body — was formed late night on November 13, 1918.

Tomos-1930, or How “Ukrainian Nuncio” in Istanbul fought for autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Each time imperial pressure on Ukraine got eased or formation of an independent Ukrainian state got initiated, autocephaly of the Church became one of fundamental issues. During the Ukrainian revolution, when Ukraine got independence, the issue had not been resolved. However, even upon failure of attempts at state independence, the UNR Government-in-exile kept struggling to resolve the autocephaly issue.

Skoropadsky VS Denikin. The last mission of Prime Minister Lyzohub

On November 9, 1918, Military Governor of Odesa Eduard Belts shot himself. Earlier, the commander of the Eastern army, Field Marshal Alfred Kraus, left for Germany. Fedir Lyzohub had no one to talk to. In October preliminary agreement on Crimean autonomy within the Ukrainian State was negotiated with Crimean government delegation, however…

Requiem for Mazepa: Why Hetman Skoroparsky Opposed the Panikhida Service

On the 9th of July a phone rang in the home of the Director of the Ukrainian Telegraph Agency Dmytro Dontsov. The Hetman was on the line. He wanted to talk about Ivan Mazepa…

"Glory to Ukraine!": Who and when created the slogan?

The chant was born in Kharkiv. Made its way through Ukraine from Kyiv. Saved with the efforts of Galycians and Volynians in Lviv and Rivne. However, the commonly cited on the Internet quote: "And there will be a time, when one will say: "Glory to Ukraine", and millions will respond with "Glory to its heroes!" cannot be found in Stepan Bandera’s collection of works.

Kyiv woke up. How did Ukrainian Revolution start

Hrushevsky was in a Moscow library when revolution broke off. Vynnychenko was also staying in Moscow. Petliura was in Minsk, working at Union of Zemstvos’ mission at the Western Front. Kyiv was asleep…

Freedom, or Death! Haidamakas from Academy

Ataman Petliura gathered all of us and spoke: “We need to spare no effort, just one more time!” That was a crazy attack — violent and ruthless. Many Haidamakas perished in this battle, no one escaped a bullet.

Setting the record straight: Reconceptualization of the Ukrainian Revolution

The Ukrainian revolution lost an armed struggle, since people were not ready to accept the idea of independence. The nation with no secondary and higher education of its own is doomed to failure. Revolution does not prevail in countries, were rural residents constitute the greater part of socially active population.

Which Petliura Does His “Secret Diary’’ Depict? An Impression of a Historian

Fresh Impressions of the good, and what’s more important, the needed film, and some points of criticisms are, maybe, acute, but have only the aim to make the Ukrainian cinema better.

Volodumyr Mursky — the UNR Government-in-exile representative in Istanbul

In 1932, with assistance from Volodymyr Mursky, the Agreement on Establishment of the Union State of Ukraine and Crimea was drafted and agreed upon by the UNR Government. The Agreement provided for mutual recognition of independence of the UNR and the Crimean People’s Republic and establishment of the common Union State upon defeat of the Bolshevik regime.