Overview of Ukrainian History

Ukrainian history is rich and varied, starting with the Trypillian culture, one of the earliest agricultural societies in Europe. The Scythians and Sarmatians inhabited the region during the first millennium BCE. Greek colonies emerged along the coast, followed by the establishment of Kyivan Rus in the 9th century, marked by the Christianization under Volodymyr the Great. The Lithuanian-Polish era saw the unification of Ukrainian lands under the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the rise of Cossack leadership. The 18th to 20th centuries included the dismantling of Cossack autonomy and significant national revival movements, culminating in independence proclaimed in 1991.