The Revolution on Granite was the first political protest of such a large scale and significance in Ukraine prior to its independence. Had the Revolution on Granite not taken place it is unlikely there would be an independent Ukraine today. As you are well aware, the protest was centered around a large group of students who pitched tents on the then called October Revolution Square and conducted a hunger strike. The protest began on October 02, 1990 and concluded October 17, 1990, when the Prime Minister of the Ukrainian SSR, Vitaliy Masol resigned. Ultimately, the Revolution on Granite proved to be a major success and had crucial political implications for Ukraine both at the time and for the future. In just over two weeks, the students’ main demands were met which included, according to the Maidan Museum website:
- “The dismissal the Prime Minister of the Ukrainian SSR Vitaliy Masol
- Holding new elections in the Ukrainian SSR
- Ensuring the passage of military service by citizens of Ukraine outside the republic only with their consent
- Creating a temporary commission of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR on the issue of nationalization of the property of the Communist Party of the USSR and the Komsomol on the territory of Ukraine
- Postponing the signing of a new union treaty between the republics of the USSR” (Maidanmuseum.org)
Not only did the Revolution on Granite accomplish these five main concrete goals, but also contributed to a reawakening of Ukrainian nationalism still present today. Additionally, the Revolution on Granite was eye opening for both Soviet and Western observers. For decades Ukraine’s calls for a more democratic government had been suppressed by USSR authorities, but owing to the Revolution on Granite, Ukraine became a subject of international attention.
The Revolution on Granite has become symbolic of Ukraine’s ongoing fight for democracy and independence from totalitarian Russia as well as, according to Coilin O’Connor and Halyna Tereshchuk (contributors to RadioFreeEurope), “left behind a legacy of activism that became a reference point for future currents of dissent” (The Revolution On Granite: Ukraine’s ‘First Maidan, 2020). Ultimately, the Revolution on Granite was the impetus that would lead to Ukraine’s independence and the
downfall of the USSR.
Watch the first raising of the Ukrainian flag on July 24, 1990 below: