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Nobody foresaw the end of the Soviet Union until it came
crashing down in 1991 amid economic collapse and widespread
patriotic movements within the various component republics
of the USSR. The period of perestroika, or “rebuilding”,
ushered in by Gorbachev in 1986, had been intended to
initiate a restructuring of Soviet rule, but as restrictions
on the press and on public gatherings were relaxed a tide
of opposition was unleashed that proved irresistible.
In Ukraine this new wave of patriotic sentiment was initially
camouflaged in ecological activism focusing on the impact
of the Chernobyl disaster and cultural groups committed
to the study of Ukrainian folklore and literature, but
by 1990 growing numbers of activist groups were participating
in full-blown demonstrations in favour of independence.
As opposition to Soviet rule mounted multi-party elections
were held in 1990 and non-communist party members were
elected to the Ukrainian Supreme Soviet. This paved the
way for the eventual declaration of independence on 24
August, 1991, which came about in the wake of the abortive
coup of party hardliners in Moscow. |
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