1. By Bethany Walter
& Matthew Dierks

3. Kievan Rus (Київська Русь)
During the 10th and 11th centuries, the Ukraine was the
center of the first eastern Slavic state. This country was
developed along an important trade route from the Baltic Sea
to the Black Sea. This was also the time when Orthodox
Christianity was adopted, creating a connection between

4. With essentially no
central government in
place, Kievan Rus
disintegrated into rural
princedoms which
succumbed to disunity and
political weakness. People
stopped paying taxes,
Europeans established new
trading routes that
excluded them, and
eventually they were
invaded by the Mongols
(Tartars). The capital city
was eventually moved to
Moscow in 1328. For both
Russians and Ukrainians,
the period before this
decline is still looked upon
with great fondness and
pride.

5. Cossak Hetmanate state after
1648
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569
Austro-Hungary & Russia in the 18th century Soviet Union after 1920

7. INDEPENDENCE
Freedom finally came for the Ukrainians with the
dissolving of the Soviet Union in 1991. On December 1st of
that year, a referendum was held in the Ukraine on national
independence and passed with 90 percent of the vote.

8. The Ukrainian Constitution was adopted in 1996 and
has since been amended. It sets up a government structure
very similar to that of Russia’s. With a dual executive,
proportionally representative legislature, and an appointed
judiciary branch, this is a multiparty system.
 Batkivshchya
(“Fatherland”)
 Communist Party of
Ukraine (CPU)
 Party of Regions
 People’s Movement of
Ukraine
 People’s Party
 Radical Party
 Socialist Party of Ukraine
(SPU)
 Svoboda
 Ukrainian Democratic
Alliance for Reforms
(UDAR)
Moving forward…

10. POLITICAL & CULTURAL INSTABILITY
The Western region
shares much in
common with the
middle, but was
influenced for a
long time by the
European
languages, cultures
and religion.
The Eastern region
has very little in
common with the
West. Slavs,
attracted by
industry and
growth, populated
the area well into
the 19th century.
The middle region, which includes Kiev, has been
heavily influenced by both sides. As the cradle of
Russian society, ties have historically been strong
with the Byzantine Empire and with the East. Yet,
having been ruled by the Poles, it also has strong

11. Today, 67 percent of people living in the Ukraine speak
Ukrainian and 30 percent speak Russian (shown above).
Furthermore, 71 percent are ethnically Ukrainian, while only 17
percent identify as ethnically Russian. The other 12 percent are
remaining Tatars.

12. FAILED RELATIONS WITH THE WEST
Despite it’s pull towards
the West, the Ukraine
remained much more
closely tied with Russia than
other former Soviet
republics because the West
never fully embraced the
Ukraine as a potential trade
partner.
Many other states were
offered the prospect of
membership in the EU or
NATO for the diligent pursuit
of democratic and market
reforms. No such offer was
seriously extended to the
Ukraine. This has made
transition to democracy very

13. CONTINUED RUSSIAN INFLUENCE
Украины нет,
не было и
быть не может!
At the same time, many Russians had never
truly gotten used to the idea of an independent
Ukraine. The reluctance of the West to be involved left
a void Russia was more than happy to fill.

15. ТРАНСПЕРЕНСІ ІНТЕРНЕШНЛ УКРАЇНА
77%87%
142/175
74%84%

16. DEMOCRATIC PULSE
The Orange Revolution, the protest in
Independence Square, up to the current situation in
the Ukraine, tells us that the people are unhappy
enough with their government to stand up and fight

18. SOVIET UNION IMPACT :
The late 80s to early 90s
• During Soviet rule Ukraine was known as one of
the poorest regions, only falling ahead of
Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan.
• During the later years of soviet rule Ukraine relied
heavily on the Soviet Union for reduced gas prices.
This in turn lead the gas to being exported at
higher costs bringing in additional income.
• The best sources available at the time shows
Ukraine's GDP at just above $1,000.00 even with
the Soviets giving Ukraine the lowered gas prices.

19. In 1991, when Ukraine gained independence, the
United States had high hopes that it would become a
wealthy free market Democratic system. However, as
of today the Ukraine has plummeted to be known
lately as the “next Greece,” or “sick old man of
Europe.”

20. INITIAL RESULTS AFTER THE SOVIET UNION
• With the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union,
Ukraine tried to build up its infrastructure
essentially from nothing to the economic standing
expected by the U.S. and the rest of Europe.
• With the building of a new free market economy
came many costs, such as a black market of
economic goods and political corruption between
1991 and 1996 as well as mass inflation.
• In order to stabilize the economy Ukraine began to
tax heavily on all available businesses, which lead
to further separation and shadow economics.

22. • In 1996, the Ukraine incorporated its first national
currency called the Hryvnia, which helped to stabilize
the economy and rid the country of all previous
currencies used.
• Even with the national currency, Ukraine’s economy
has struggled and since the 2008 recession has not
shown continuous strides of improvement like
before.
• Since 2008, the Ukraine has acquired around 60
billion dollars in debt. This will rise in the near future
due to the older populations beginning to retire and
rely more on the government.
A New Currency

23. INDEX OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM
As of today Ukraine is ranked 162nd out of 183
in the 2014. They are only ahead of countries such as
Iran (171), Republic of Congo(170), and North Korea
(178) the other 5 countries listed as “not ranked” on
the current list.

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