Ukraina na drodze do suwerenności. Uwagi historyka prawa. Recenzja: A. Olechno, Ewolucja konstytucyjnych podstaw systemu rządów Ukrainy, Białystok 2019, ss. 290

Abstract

The author deals with the history of the formation of a sovereign state – Ukraine in the twentieth century. The author begins with the activities of Ukrainians after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Among Ukrainian politicians, there were different ideas: autonomy within the Federation Republic of Russia or as a sovereign state. The idea of fighting for a sovereign Ukraine was prevalent. Simon Petlura was the main proponent of this direction. Territorial affairs were very contentious. Which country should compose a sovereign Ukraine in the future? In this matter, the Ukrainians came into conflict with all their neighbours. Thus, the Ukrainians were almost in a siege. Between 1918 and 1920 the Ukrainians fought the most serious battles against the Russian Bolsheviks. In Ukraine there was also a civil war with the Ukrainian Bolsheviks. At that time Simon Petlura allied himself with Poland against the Russian Bolsheviks. The Ukrainian people did not support this alliance. Ukraine was conquered by Bolshevik Russia. For several decades, Ukraine became one of the republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. As you know, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics – contrary to its name – was a centralised state in which terror prevailed for decades. In 1991 – under Michael Gorbachev – Ukraine was one of the republics of the USSR that left the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics fastest. For the first time in its history, Ukraine became a sovereign state.