Ukraine Flag

Ukraine Flag

Ukraine Flag

The second-largest country in Europe (after Russia), Ukraine formed the heartland of the medieval state of Kievan Rus that emerged during the 9th century. Having united with Russians (Muscovites) and Belarusian, it subsequently became the leading power in Eastern Europe before being conquered by the Mongols during the 13th century. It came under Polish rule from the 14th century until 1648, when a Cossack-led revolt established a military state. During the late 18th century, czarist Russia secured control of Ukraine, but, following the Russian Revolution of 1917, an independent Ukrainian People's Republic was declared in 1918.

The Ukraine flag that the Ukrainian People's Republic adopted consisted of two equal-sized, horizontal bands, blue over yellow, the traditional colors of the Kievan Rus and, unusually for a Slavic state, not the Pan-Slavic colors. The blue represents the sky, while the yellow signifies the fields of golden grain that dominate Ukraine's landscape. This flag was retained until the Soviet Red Army invaded Ukraine in 1921 and when Ukraine became a union republic of the U.S.S.R. in 1922, a 'Red Flag' was flown. Following the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. in 1991, Ukraine once again declared its independence and re-adopted the blue-and-yellow Ukraine flag that was first used in 1918.