The Ukraine

The Ukraine

By N.L. Zalozetzky
Library of Congress : Place of Publication "New York", February 8, 1915

The Ukraine or Ukraina (pronounced Ookraїna) and meaning borderland in the native tongue), once the largest kingdom in Europe, has been divided between her enemies, Russia and Austria-Hungary. The former holds the larger part, a lion's share, of the Ukraine, with over an area of 850, 000 square miles. The Russians call the country Malorussia, meaning Little Russia, and the people Little Russians. Austria-Hungary holds a much smaller part, some 5,000,000 Ukrainians in Galicia, over 700,000 in Bukowina, and some 800,000 in the sub-Carpathian districts of Hungary, which is a continuation of the Russian Ukraine. These Austrian Ukrainians are known under the local name of Rutheniains or Ruthenes.

The western boundary of the Ukraine borders on the sub-Carpathian plains of Hungary, so as to include Galicia and Bukowina, and runs through Bessarabia to the Black sea. The southern runs along the northern shore of the Black and the Azov seas, including Crimea and the Kuban district in the Caucasus, who are purely of Ukrainian nationality. The eastern boundary borders on the River Don(roughly), including the region of the Don Cossacks. The northern runs(roughly) trough central Russia and abuts the frontiers of Poland and Lithuania.

The Ukrainians belong to one of the Slav races, which are, in numerical order: Muscovites, or Rusians, numbering about 63,000,000; Ukrainians reaching up 40,000,000; Poles, about 23,000,000: Bohemians, White Russians, Serbo-Croats, Bulgars, Slovenes, and Lusacians. The Ukrainians rank second among the Slav races.

The present national movement among the Ukrainians began in Russia at the beginning of the nineteenth century, but its development being prevented by the stern iron grid of the "white czars." It spread rapidly to Austrian Ukraine, Galicia, where it found favorable soil.

The Ukrainian movement is not pro-Austrian in any sense but purely Ukrainian. Since the Ukrainians must have some greater power or powers behind their demands, and since Austria has shown them some sympathy in late years, when it comes to decision as to what side the Ukrainians must take their stand on naturally they must take the Austrian side.

The Ukrainians both sides of the boundary began claiming the restoration of their rights, the rebellion of 1905-6 in which the Ukrainians played an important part, as also the mutiny of the Black sea fleet being a certain proof of this. It was not a rebellion of Russian subjects against the czar, but rebellion of the oppressed peoples against the Russian tyranny, at the head of which is the czar.

It is nothing to Russia if she loses Poland, Lithuania, or Finland. But to lose the Ukraine, a third of the Russian empire in Europe, land fertile enough to be granary for the whole continent, and to lose the command of the Black sea was not to be thought of. Besides through Ukraine is the road to Constantinople and the Mediterranean. Russia thought that too great a sacrifice and she resolved that come what may and cost what may, she would have Galicia.

Russia would have attacked Austria in 1878, she would have done it in 1908 and 1913, but was afraid. Germany stood at the back of Austria, and if Russia had become engaged in war, provoked by herself, her allies would have refused to stand by her. Therefore, she waited, secretiy plotting and sheming in the meantime.

When, therefore, the opportunity had at last arrived Russia turned her wholestrength against Austria, with Galicia as objective. If Russia had wished for a speedy defeat of Austria or Germany she could have launched her 8,000,000 men roller elsewhere instead of sending army after army of untrained and poorly armed men, like cattle for slaughter, into the Carpathians, to be shot down like rabbits, and would have surely attained better results.

"The Russian eagle must yet float unfurled over the Carpathians." That was Russian's dream because of the Ukrainians and because as one prominent Russian official has said, "the Carpathians are the key to the Balkans and Constantinople."

Russia, considering the number of nations arrayed against Germany and Austria,felt certain of speedy victory, but when she discovered that Germany and Austria were matched against her millions of men, even though they might lose in the west, she thought if she could form a Spartan wall around Galicia and hold it, she would be content even if nothing more be gained.

Is Russia a liberator of Slavs? No.
Under that false slogan she has been deceiving Slavs and Non-Slavs, her crafty diplomacy, her plans deeply concealed, and her point in view still more. Russia's aim is to gather all Slavs under her sovereignty, or if that be impossible, at least under her influence, and embark upon world conquests. Through and with the help of the Slavs kingdoms of the Balkans she could get at Constantinople, and with the help of all the Slavs defy the rest of Europe. Napoleon's remark that "within 100 years Europe will be either all republican or all Cossack." meaning all Russian, is to be reckoned with in the Russian policy of "liberating the Slavs."

Russian policy and her aims have been discovered by some are being discovered at present, and will be completely unfolded before the present war is over...