Many Ukrainians were unprepared for Ukraine seizing independence in 1991 — journalist Portnikov

Journalist Vitaly Portnikov shared his opinion on the historic events with Espreso TV.

“When Ukraine declared independence, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was thrilled to see the vote tally in favor of independence. At that time, I believed I would live to see Ukraine as a sovereign state, but on August 23, 1991, I did not expect it to happen so soon. Then history accelerated at an incredible pace. In a way, this was fortunate, as Ukraine was able to seize a historic opportunity amid the turmoil in the Russian center of power. 

We must remember that these events unfolded against the backdrop of a struggle between two centers of Russian authority — Gorbachev and his circle, and Boris Yeltsin. Essentially, it was a shift within one Russian power structure that created a dramatic turn of events. And it was remarkable that Ukrainians were able to capitalize on this moment. I cannot even say how easy it was to declare independence on August 27–28, given that events were moving so quickly it was impossible to keep up. Yet we succeeded, and it became a historic phenomenon when seen in the context of the broader history of Ukrainian statehood,” Portnikov explained.

The journalist added that in 1991, most Ukrainians still considered the USSR their homeland and saw Ukraine as a region within it.

“On the other hand, I understood very well that the vast majority of Ukrainians were not ready for independence. They had never fought for it and had never sought it. The results of the earlier referendum on preserving the USSR, initiated by Gorbachev, showed that most people in central, eastern, and southern Ukraine remained strong supporters of the Soviet Union’s preservation.

 They perceived the USSR as their homeland and Ukraine as just a part of it, rather than as a country in its own right. I realized that reshaping the consciousness of people for whom Ukraine was not yet their homeland — and for whom it was uncertain whether it could become one — would be an extremely difficult process,” he concluded.