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Bohdan Khmelnitskiy Ukraine
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 On the Sofiyivska Square in Kiev, you can see a monumental composition of a Cossack with mace in hand sitting on a rising horse. A kind of Kyiv’s emblem is a bronze statue of Hetman Bohdan Khemlnytsky of XIX century. The figure of Bohdan Khmelnytsky was and remains a symbolic image of a hero for all Ukrainian nation. He was the first in the history of Ukraine who made the attempt to unite the Ukrainian lands and build the state of Ukraine; he is also famous as the founder of Cossacks army. In the books of history you would find that he is shown as a person who struggled for independence. He was a link of chain of the Ukrainian history in the process of flowing from Kiyevan Rus to the state Ukraine.
The monument was placed for voluntary donations. The bronze statue was cast in St.Petersberg in 1879. In 1881, it was placed on the Sofiyivsky Square. There is an interesting postulate: “The history isn’t science about the past. The history is the attitude towards modern time. ” It brings to the thoughts that today’s government praises the historical figure which is more suits today’s policy and goals of authorities. There is what we stuck learning today. We observe how rapidly the Ukrainian heroes have been changed equally with government leaders. The policy chooses the situation and historical episodes which are more helpful to highlight the event and a figure whose actions coincide according temporary government.
There is a lot of argue around the figure of Bohdan Khmelnytsky. For sure there is important part of the history and his choice of further direction of Ukrainain development had influence for building the Ukraine as a state and determining its bounds. Ukrainian Cossack’s country and Russian Imperia were united during rule of Khmelnytsky.
Nowadays Ukraine is on the crossroads of development between West and East directions, Europe and Asia. Seems Ukrainian’s opinions divided just along the Dnipro river, which goes through all Ukraine from North to South.
West part of Ukraine, always more European and seems more civilized in comparison with East part. Western Ukraine is oriented and more opened to be part of European development and rise up with a help and support of the West.
East part of Ukraine considers themselves as a provider and economical bar of whole mechanism of the state Ukraine. So why being stable and don’t allow falling under the western influence isn’t allowable in understanding for a lot of people there. The opinion such as: Ukraine and Russia are close for over all period of history, hand by hand struggled with common enemies, reunion of the orthodox lands, and similarity of Ukrainian and Russian languages….
In XIX century Khmelnytskyi made choice towards Russia, not Rech Pospolytaya (which occupied the territory of Poland and part of Western Ukraine). The Cossacks people were considered as outlaws, and after joining under Russian protectorate, they became Ukrainian society and formed the elite army group of Russian Empire. That wasn’t possible with orientation on the West. Ukraine could just dissolve in Rech Pospolytaya lands, and probably now we couldn’t exist as a nation and the separate state. The key choice of Kmelnytsky was keeping the identity (in XVII century there was orthodox religion) of Ukrainian nation and including Ukrainian elite to World economy as a party.
What choice will make Ukrainian government today under elite care, which side chooses Ukrainians. It is interesting to observe how often we stuck with the similar situations in history. But not often the choice is taken the same…Hopefully Ukrainian government will not only care about personal goals and achieve own ambitions…  The most demonstrative example which displays the state policy is money. If you look on Ukrainian hryvnias you would see that all important figures of national history are represented on them. We use money every day and mostly every one knows which leaders on them and their contribution to history. The figure of Cossack Khmelnytsky is represented on 5 hryvnia bill, as an important participant of foundation the state Ukraine, someone whose figure.
isn’t fallen into oblivion in spite of government policy…
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