The yellow-blue flag of Ukraine, its history and destiny

No state exists without rituals and symbols. Ukraine has gained independence several times over its history. The last time it happened in 1991. Within four months, a small coat of arms and a flag of Ukraine, a stylized trident and a two-color canvas, consisting of horizontal fields, blue and yellow, were approved. According to historians describing the events connected with the collapse of the USSR, the age-old dream of the majority of the population of that part of the Union that lived on the territory of the former Ukrainian SSR has come true.

The historical contradictions between East and West of this country have caused many dramatic events, conflicts have arisen and continue to burn, including armed ones. After the "Maidan", the government of the "Sovereign" disregarded the opinion of the citizens of the South-East. In turn, residents of some regions refuse to perceive the attributes of the state positively, including the flag of Ukraine. Photos from the scene of the tragic events that caused victims in Odessa, Mariupol, Zaporozhye and other cities give an explanation for this disobedience. For a large percentage of the population, yellow-blue paints have become a symbol of violence and cruelty. This is not forgotten.

Yellow-blue origins

The history of the flag of Ukraine rests on its origins in those times when the geographical names were completely different. In pre-Christian Russia yellow color and its shades symbolized the fire element. Blue personified water, an endless source of life. In this range, the pagan feast of Ivan Kupala was traditionally held: with a fiery wheel rolling into the water, lights streaming along rivers and streams and other ancient attributes.

Flags, while those of the Slavs did not exist, the role of battle symbols was performed by banners, which were bundles of various bright and noticeable objects from far away, from bird feathers to grassy varicoloured colors. Beginning in the fourteenth century, the spheres of influence between the European West (represented by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania) and the Russian lands were delimited. The front borderline (it was still early to talk about state borders) was part of Kievan Rus, hence the future name of the country.

As a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

For the first time the flag of Ukraine became known during the battle of Grunwald (1410), although it did not represent an independent power at that time. The units of the Polish army, recruited from the inhabitants of the Leopolis (Lviv) land, protested against the Crusaders under a banner with the image of a yellow lion on a bluish azure field.

Ethnic symbolism was further developed during the war for liberation from Polish oppression under the leadership of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (1648-1654). However, the colors were different then, the preference was given to crimson and red shades, such contemporaries described hetman's Cossack banners.

National symbols in one form or another persisted in application to the military attributes and arms of the Little Russian cities throughout the time of the Russian Empire and after the February revolution. Thus, the case is known when General Brusilov welcomed in May 1917 the units of Ukrainian volunteers who arrived on the German front under the national flag.

Austrian Ukrainophiles and the presented flag

An interesting case occurred after the Russian army suppressed the Austrian revolution of 1848. Pro-Russian sympathies of the local population were so frightened by the rescued government of the Habsburgs that it resigned in full force, and the governor of the Stadium took a rather unusual political step. He expressed his readiness to support Ukrainians seeking autonomy if they did not consider themselves Russians, giving them the yellow-blue flag of Ukraine allegedly sewn by the mother of the Austrian emperor (which was untrue).

Revolution

The events of the revolutions of 1917 led to a redrawing of borders and a reassessment of historical prospects. After the proclamation in 1918 of the UNR (Ukrainian People's Republic), a provisional law was passed, according to which the state flag of Ukraine was officially established for the first time, with the yellow color being placed on top. Then there was a coup, as a result of which the power was seized by the hetman Skoropadsky, who began by changing places in places. The national symbol remained the banner of the supporters of independence, operating underground in the territories occupied by Poland, Romania and Czechoslovakia until 1939. With the yellow-blue prapor in 1939, Western Ukrainians met the Red Army.

Flag of the Ukrainian SSR

After the revolution of 1917 , the Soviet government refused to recognize the power of the Central Rada. In Kharkov, a flag was adopted, clearly a red one, with the letters of the USSR. Then in 1937 an amendment was made, the councils in Ukrainian were "glad", therefore, it is necessary to write U.R.S.R. , However, in the places of residence of the Russian-speaking population was allowed and in Russian.

In a few decades the Soviet flag of Ukraine was again changed. The lower third was occupied by a blue cloth, and the rest, crowned with a sickle and a hammer, remained red.

In the tragic period of the Nazi occupation, the collaborators used national yellow-blue colors, albeit until the German command forbade it. Bandera underground used, in addition to Petliura, another flag, black and red.

The modern flag of Ukraine

Photo and filming, which shows the ceremonial entry into the hall of sessions of the Supreme Council of the Ukrainian SSR giant yellow-blue cloth, bypassed all the information channels of the world in 1991. The prominent Communist party functionary LM greeted this action . Kravchuk, who became the first president of independent Ukraine. This event was accompanied by mass events, painted in the same tone. This is how the newest history of the flag of Ukraine began. Patriotic-minded citizens tie yellow-blue ribbons, protesting against the "seizure" of the Crimea. Other ribbons, symbols of Victory over Nazism, Georgievsky, are prohibited. They, according to the current leadership, are "separatists", "quilted" and "colorado".

The colors of the flag of Ukraine on the plan should symbolize peace and food abundance. The blue sky crowns the fields of golden wheat, generously growing on the famous Ukrainian chernozem - that's how the range of the country's main state symbol is treated. How much this dream will come true, time will tell ...