Ukraine/Ukrainians: Development of a Nation
How Ukraine became Ukraine, and how the Ukrainians became Ukrainian.

How Ukrainians as a people, and the country of Ukraine as a nation-state, evolved and materialized into current form, in terms of ancestral bloodlines, the Ukrainian language, borders, culture, and even how they received their name.

Ancestral Background
Development of Language
Formation of Borders
Etymology (How Name Received)
Culture
Ukraine in 2008

Ukrainian Ancestral Background:
 

1. 3000 BC – The Proto-Balto-Slavic population (based on speakers of the Proto-Balto-Slavic language) materialized around modern Lithuania.
2. Around 1000 BC, a group splinters from the Proto-Baltic-Slavic people near the shores of the Baltic Sea (centered around modern Lithuania). This group becomes the Slavic people, settling around modern Ukraine. After becoming a distinct people, they begin to spread in all directions.
3. By 750 BC, a group splintered off, migrating west, becoming ancestors to the modern Poles, Czechs and Slovaks, forever being separated and distinct from those that would remain in the original homeland, who would become known as the East Slavs, the predecessors to the modern Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians.
4. 1-200 AD: Dacians (a sub-branch from the ancient Thracians, who inhabited the eastern Balkan peninsula in ancient times) inhabited western Ukraine. They were eventually absorbed by the Slavs in the region, leaving a minor genetic imprint on Ukrainian people.
5. In the 6th century, another group of Slavs would splinter from the original group centered around modern Ukraine, diffused east toward Russia and north toward modern Belarus. This branch would migrate south into the Balkan peninsula, filling the void left by the migrating Germanic peoples, who had evacuated the region for crumbling Roman lands to the west. This Balkan Slavic group would become known as the South Slavs, and would become forever separated and distinct from the East Slavs after groups such as the migrating Magyars (predecessors to modern Hungarians) settled between them.
6. 860 – A Swedish Viking tribe migrated south into modern Kiev (Ukraine), subduing the Slavs in the area, founding the loosely organized Rus Khaganate, the predecessor to the Kievan Rus’ state.
7. By the 10th century, the Rus Khaganate had evolved from a Swedish-ruled state to a purely Slavic nation, known as Kievan Rus. The Swedish Vikings had been completely absorbed into the local populace by this point, adding another trace element to the Ukrainian genetic composition. The Kievan Rus became the premiere Eastern European power, dominating trade routes from Baltic to Black Sea, and from the Khazar Kingdom in the east to the Germanic states to the west.
8. After about 100 years of civil war within the Kievan Rus, the consolidated East Slav state finally fractured into three principle successor states around 1150: Novgorod Republic, Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and the Kingdom of Halych-Volynia. Vladimir-Suzdal and Novgorod would later combine to form the Grand Duchy of Moscow (the predecessor to Russia), and Halych-Volynia would later evolve into Ukraine. Another group of former Kievan Rus Slavs in the northwest portion of the former kingdom would be absorbed into the Kingdom of Lithuania. This group was the predecessor to the modern Belarusians.
9. Multiple Turkic peoples migrated into modern Ukraine throughout Dark Ages, including the Khazars (whose kingdom collapsed in 1016), the Kumans (1050 -1241), and the Mongols/Golden Horde from 1241 to about 1440. After the collapse of the Golden Horde, the Turks continued as a collection of small Turkic khans in modern Southern Russia until the Ottoman conquest of 1526. The Ottomans were a Muslim, Turkic confederation that would dominate southeast Europe and the Middle East from the 14th century until the early 20th century.
10. Russia conquered southern Ukraine from the Ottoman Turks by 1774, but a substantial Turkic population remained in the region, which would largely be driven out and/or assimilated by Ukrainians (under Russian direction) from that point forth, leaving a minor trace in the Ukrainian genetic composition.
11. Despite non-Slavic elements added to their genetic pool over the centuries, Ukrainians are of primarily East Slav descent.

Save as much as 70% on select National Geographic merchandise!

Development of Ukrainian Language:
 

1. 3000 BC – The Proto-Balto-Slavic language (branch of Proto-Indo-European) is spoken by Proto-Balto-Slavic group centered around Lithuania.
2. After a split in the Proto-Balto-Slavic nation around 1000 BC, the language of those that migrate east and south evolves into Slavic (thus the origin of Slavic peoples). The language of those that remain in the Baltic region evolves into Baltic.
3. By approximately the 9^th century, the Slavic language in the Kievan Rus kingdom evolves into Old East Slavic. Several dialects of this language develop during existence of Kievan Rus.
4. Kievan Rus splinters into multiple states in the 12^th century due to civil war. The Eastern territories (including Moscow) come under rule of Mongols by 13^th century, creating partition between eastern and western territories of former Kievan Rus state, causing Belarus and Ukrainian languages to develop in isolation from what would become Russian.
5. By 14^th century, Ukraine and Belarus were conquered by Lithuania, further isolating the evolution of their language from the Russian language spoken by East Slavs to the east. This "western" East Slav variation would be known as Ruthenian, which was influenced by Lithuanian and Polish (as Lithuania would join with Poland to form the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 16^th century).
6. After the Polish-Lithuanian Union was formed in 1569, most of Ukraine would be under Polish administration, while Belarus was largely under Lithuanian administration, isolating the two from each other enough to cause a split in the Ruthenian language, beginning the divergence of the Ukrainian and Belarusian languages. Ukrainian assimilated more Polish influence while Belarusian more Lithuanian influence. The two languages were no longer mutually intelligible by the 17^th century.

Save 20% off and Free Shipping on Select Language Learning Software

Formation of Ukrainian Borders:
 

1. 860 – A Swedish Viking tribe migrated south into modern Kiev (Ukraine), subduing the Slavs in the area, forming the loosely organized Rus Khaganate, a Swedish-ruled political entity among the East Slavs (predecessors to modern Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians).
2. By the 10th century, the Rus Khaganate had evolved from a Swedish-ruled state to a purely Slavic nation, known as Kievan Rus. The Kievan Rus became the premiere Eastern European power, dominating trade routes from Baltic to Black Sea, and from the Khazar Kingdom in the east to the Germanic states to the west.
3. 1016 – Collapse of Khazar Kingdom as a result of military defeats at the hands of the Kievan Rus. Kievan Rus expanded southward.
4. 1050 – Kumans (aka Kipchaks), a Turkic tribe from central Asia, migrated west, conquering the southern part of modern Ukraine.
5. After about 100 years of civil war within the Kievan Rus, the consolidated East Slav state finally fractured into three principle successor states around 1150: Novgorod Republic, Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and the Kingdom of Halych-Volynia. Vladimir-Suzdal and Novgorod would later combine to form the Grand Duchy of Moscow (the predecessor to Russia), and Halych-Volynia would later evolve into Ukraine. Another group of former Kievan Rus Slavs in the northwest portion of the former kingdom would be absorbed into the Kingdom of Lithuania. This group was the predecessor to the modern Belarusians.
6. 1241 – The Mongol Empire (Golden Horde) conquered the Kipchak/Kuman Empire. The Golden Horde advanced as far as the eastern edges of Austria, submitting Poland and Hungary. They also conquered the Rus principalities. They retreated from their outermost territories when Genghis Khan died, which split the Mongol Empire among his four sons. The western portion that encompassed eastern Europe, including the Rus principalities (Ukraine, Belarus, Russia) is referred to as the Golden Horde. Turkics (Kipchaks) comprised the majority of the constituency in modern Southern Russia, but the Mongols were the ruling class throughout all of modern Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
7. 1245 – The Mongol Empire (Golden Horde) conquered the southeast corner of Halych-Volynia (successor state of Kievan Rus, predecessor to modern Ukraine). This was followed by a period where the Ukraines would work with the Mongols, participating in raids into Poland and Hungary, gaining territory for themselves, but also entering in ongoing territorial battles against Poles and Hungarians. Ukrainians would largely be successful until about 1300, when the tide would turn against them.
8. 1307 – Lithuania conquered the Principality of Polotsk (Rus), consisting of northern-central Belarus.
9. 1323 – Lithuanians gained control of the Volynia portion of the Ukrainian state.
10. 1349 – Poles conquered Galicia from the Ukrainians, ending their sovereignty.
11. 1385 – A merger between Poland and Lithuania formed the Polish-Lithuanian Union. The two kingdoms still operated independently, but formed a defensive alliance against the Germanic Teutonic Knights and Moscow, common threats to both. It included large portions of both modern Belarus and Ukraine.
12. 1440 – The Golden Horde broke up into several Khanates (Turkic principalities and petty kingdomds) in modern Southern Russia/Ukraine due to civil war, which had been ongoing since the Black Death of 1340.
13. 1475 – The Crimean Khanate of modern Southern Ukraine came under control of the Ottoman empire, but maintained partial autonomy.
14. 1526 – The Ottoman Empire conquered Mongol petty states in southern Ukraine. The Ottoman Empire was a Muslim, Turkic empire that would rule most of the Middle East and Southeast Europe from the 14th century until the early 20th century.
15. 1569 – Establishment of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This new political entity covered modern Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, large parts of Ukraine and Estonia, and parts of Russia. Poland would be the dominant entity.
16. 1648 – Cossack Uprising in modern central/northeast Ukraine against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth regime. It resulted in an independent Turkic state that was a client state to Russia. Cossacks were a Turk people that had survived in the region for hundreds of years, and had developed friendly relations with Ukrainians. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were slaughtered by the Cossacks.
17. 1654 – 1657 – Russia gained control over Ukraine from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Russian-Polish War.
18. 1725 – A weakened and disorganized Poland-Lithuania comes under Russian domination, serving as a client/buffer state.
19. 1768 – 1774 – The Russo-Turkish War ended in a Russian victory. It began with the Ottomans declaring war on Russia. Russia gained Southern Ukraine, the Northern Caucasus and Crimea, giving it access to the Black Sea.
20. 1772 – First Partition of Poland. Poland became a protectorate of Russia, but its ill-protected western territories were now threatened by Prussia and Austria. Prussia, Austria and Russia agreed to a partition, as Russia realized it did not have the resources to defend entire nation. The bulk of Poland-Lithuania remains intact, but largely under foreign domination. The extreme west of Ukraine was allocated to Austria. Both Austria and Russia would attempt to end Ukrainian culture and language.
21. 1775 – Russia imposed direct rule over the independent Cossack state in modern Ukraine, absorbing into the Russian Empire.
22. By 1918, following World War I, Ukraine had splintered into multiple republics, each claiming independence, as a result of Russia's precarious condition due to civil war. Belarus had also declared itself as an independent republic. By 1921, Poland captured western part of Ukraine (Galicia), while Russia incorporated the larger part of Ukraine into the newly-formed USSR. Belarus was also regained by Russia, and incorporated into the Soviet Union.
23. In 1939, as part of the Secret Nazi-Soviet Pact, the USSR received Galicia (western Poland), which it took by force, adding it to Ukraine.
24. 1940 –The USSR also partitioned Northern Bukovina and Budjak from Romania, assigning them to Ukraine SSR.
25. 1941 – 1944: Nazi occupation of Ukraine and Belarus. Regained by USSR in 1944.
26. USSR demands that Carpatho-Ukraine (lost to Hungary in 1939, conquered by Red Army in 1944) be annexed into the USSR (Ukraine).
27. 1990 – Belarus and Ukraine break away as the USSR fell into collapse, forming respective, independent republics. 
    

Maps.com - The World's Largest Maps Store!

Etymology (How Name Received):

From the Slav word for “borderland” or “marches”. Used as early as the 12^th century, perhaps referring to its geographical location toward the southwest extremities of the medieval Slavic political entity of Kievan Rus.

Ukrainian Culture:

Heavily influenced by, and similar to, Russian culture, due to close ethnic ties, and centuries under Russian rule (Russian Empire and the Russia-dominated Soviet Union). At various points in time, its Russian masters have attempted to purge Ukrainian culture and language.

Ukraine in 2008:

Economy: After independence from USSR in 1991, set out to transform economy from state-planned to free-market, but significant resistance has made this a slow and incomplete transition, coupled with significant corruption. As a result, the economy declined drastically during the 90s, compared to pre-1991 levels. Also damaged by overdependence on Russia for energy needs, especially since it relies heavily on agriculture and industrialization. Russia has inflated energy prices in recent years, even cutting off service on occasion in response to pricing disputes and political differences. Economy has been expanding the last few years due to global price increases for steel, its leading export.
Government: Democratic Republic
Religion: Ukraine Orthodox 84%.
Demographics: Ukrainian 78%, Russian 17% (population redistribution during Russian rule, especially USSR effort to "Russianize"). Population has been in decline in recent years due to low birth rate.
Foreign Policy: Maintains delicate balance between the west (rest of Europe) and Russia. Russia still aims to exert control over Ukraine, using energy as a lever, since Ukraine is highly dependent on Russian energy. Yet, attempts to enhance relations with the west to offset Russian influence and to increase markets for its exports.
Population: 45,994,287 (2008)

 

Formation of Nations (All European Nations)

Genealogy Search:

Individual    First Name Last Name For females, use maiden name (last name before marriage) Father    First Name Last Name   Mother    First Name Last Name Visit OneGreatFamily.com