Ancient world leader, Ukraine finding its place in 21st-century politics, economics

What is the second-largest nation in Europe? In what country did the worst nuclear accident in history occur? If you answered “Ukraine” to both questions, then you are right. If not, then you are among the majority of Americans.
   
Although Ukraine is considered the birthplace of Slavic civilization, the nation and its distinctive characteristics were swallowed up by other nations for several hundred years. Even today, it is thought by many to be part of Russia.
   
During the 10th and 11th centuries, Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, was the cultural center of the Eastern Slavic world. Kiev was the capital of the largest and most powerful state in Europe at the time, known as Kievan Rus’, Rus’ or Ruthenia. The city is still known today as the “Mother of Russia.” 
   
In 1240, the city was destroyed by Mongols. In the centuries that followed, Ukraine fell under the rule of one oppressor after another, falling to Poland, the Cossacks and, finally, the Russian Empire. 
   
After the fall of Russian Czar Nicholas II in 1917, Ukraine briefly declared its independence, only to be swallowed up by the Soviet Union’s (U.S.S.R.) communist rule in 1922.
   
Probably the most tragic chapter in Ukraine’s history was the grain procurement quota set by Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, in the early 1930s. Stalin established a production quota that was unattainable by many and sent agents to seize the majority of the harvest that did come in. 
   
At the same time, Stalin imposed travel restrictions on the farmers and their families, making it impossible to go elsewhere in search of food. The quota plus the restrictions caused an estimated 7 million people to starve to death.
   
It was not until 1991 that Ukraine successfully declared its independence from the U.S.S.R. and once again began to establish a separate identity. Today’s Ukraine is becoming a world player and is relatively amiable with its neighbors and the United States, but it still faces numerous challenges.
   
Although Ukraine has rich soil that yielded abundant crops under the communist regime, the amount of agricultural production today has declined by about one-half because of the high cost of energy and continued government interference.
   
There are other lasting effects from communist rule, notably the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear plant. An experiment caused a series of explosions and created a fireball that blew the lid off a nuclear reactor, releasing radioactive particles into the air. 
   
Officials permanently evacuated an area 18 miles in diameter around the nuclear plant. There is wide disagreement about the long-term effects on the health of the people, as well as the soil and water in Ukraine. A World Health Organization committee called the Chernobyl Forum, in a 2005 study, cited the possibility of 4,000 eventual deaths as a result of the Chernobyl accident. But fewer than 50 known deaths were recorded as of mid-2005.  One outcome has been a significant increase in childhood thyroid cancer, but the report found that 99 percent of the children affected have survived. 
   
The fall of communism and Soviet rule meant the collapse of the governments and  economies of the former nations of the Soviet Union, including Ukraine. 
   
The country suffered major economic setbacks, reaching crisis level in 1998. The economy is now on the rebound and continues to strengthen, although unemployment and poverty are still widespread. 
   
In spite of the poverty, the citizens of Ukraine keep up appearances, said Mike Ray, International Mission Board missionary to Ukraine. “The idea of  ‘putting on a show’ at all costs always takes precedence over presenting a true picture of the circumstances,” he said. “Do all you can to make a good appearance, regardless of the reality of the situation.” 
   
There have been improvements, though. The U.S. State Department released a statement in March outlining Ukraine’s economic situation, which included a rise of 39 percent in average monthly income from November 2004 to November 2005. 
   
Some observers attribute that to the 2004 Orange Revolution. Pro-West Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych — who was seen as pro-Russian — opposed each other in a runoff presidential election that produced reports of widespread election fraud, including the confirmed dioxin poisoning of Yushchenko.
   
Thousands of people wearing orange, the campaign color used by Yushchenko, poured into Independence Square in Kiev, setting up tents, putting out banners and vowing not to leave until the election was nullified. 
   
Although the nation’s election commission declared Yanukovych the winner, the Ukrainian Supreme Court declared the results invalid and ordered another election. A subsequent revote reversed the results, and Yushchenko was sworn in as president. His political stance has created improvements not only within the country but also with U.S.-Ukraine relations. 
   
Daniel Fried, U.S. assistant secretary for the bureau of European and Eurasian affairs, said the Yuschenko government has “achieved significant success” since taking office. 
   
“Ukraine’s new leaders are undertaking reforms in a complex and difficult political environment.”