7:44 AM; The Sun is Rising Over Kyiv on the 1065th Day of the Full-Scale Invasion. The origins of the Ukrainian Day of Unity, celebrated on January 22nd.

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1. On 22 January, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Unity, which marks the time in 1919 when two Ukrainian states joined to declare themselves a single independent country.

   This happened right after the First World War, a time when large empires like Russia and Austria-Hungary fell apart, allowing the regions they controlled to strive for independence. The Ukrainian People’s Republic was set up in areas that had been under Russian control, and the West Ukrainian People’s Republic was formed in areas that were part of Austria-Hungary.

   The merger of these two republics was a bold statement of Ukraine’s unity. However, the young nation faced numerous threats from a Bolshevik invasion, and Ukraine’s newly found independence was precarious. The situation escalated quickly, and by 1939, following various conflicts and political upheavals, all Ukrainian territory was taken by the Soviet Union.

   Even though Ukraine was independent for only a short time, the Act of Unification in 1919 was crucial in preserving Ukraine’s national identity during Soviet control. Ukrainians already felt like a separate, united country and managed to maintain their identity, culture, and language despite Soviet oppression.

   A significant moment came on 21 January 1990, just before the 71st anniversary of Ukraine’s first declaration of independence. On this day, the People’s Movement of Ukraine (Rukh) organized a substantial protest.

   Participants formed a human chain known as the “Chain of Unity,” which linked seven cities across Ukraine, spanning over 770 kilometres. This demonstration of unity and defiance attracted between 500,000 and 3 million participants, marking it as one of the earliest significant anti-Soviet actions in Ukraine.

   The Day of Unity was officially recognized as a national holiday in 1999. Later, in 2011, President Viktor Yanukovych, supported by Russia, changed it to combine with another holiday, but this didn’t last long. In 2014, in response to emerging threats from Russia, President Petro Poroshenko restored the Day of Unity to its original status as a separate and distinct holiday.

   As Russia seeks once again to erase Ukraine, the struggle that gave birth to the original Day of Unity – and to Ukraine’s first modern independent state – continues. This is why the day holds even greater significance, reminding the world of Ukraine’s unwavering determination to fight for its independence, sovereignty, and freedom.

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