Choosing Freedom in Ukraine: Historical Roots and Contemporary Meaning

When Russia expanded its war against Ukraine in early 2022, many Western observers expected the country to surrender within moments. But Ukrainians are fighting resolutely for their freedom—once again.
This text explores Ukrainian conceptions of freedom, starting with the Cossacks, but placing a clear emphasis on events since 1991. Writer and historian Olesya Khromeychuk argues that the roots of Ukrainians’ contemporary resilience can be found in a long-standing rejection of imperialist oppression. She relates these concepts of Ukrainian freedom, mirrored in her own history, in a courageously personal manner. In this way, she renders accessible the history of a country about which there is too little knowledge in many parts of the West.