Partner Country of the Month: Ukraine

Thinking of Ukraine during this time, we think mainly of war, suffering and destruction, of Vladimir Putin and the many people seeking refuge. But let's have a look beyond the current situation at the country of Easter eggs, helicopters and borscht. The official Russian narrative claims that there is no independent Ukrainian culture. But despite the cultural proximity and shared history of the two countries, the resistance of the Ukrainian people alone shows how much their own identity matters to them.

The partner country of this month is a bit different. This time, our focus isn't on exchange opportunities. Instead, we want to introduce you to the rich culture of Europe's largest country and show you ways to get involved.

golden onion-shaped towers of an Orthodox church

General facts and figures about Ukraine

Capital: Kyiv
Population: 43.4 million – of whom 4.9 million have fled the country
Official languages: Ukrainian (regionally also Russian)
National holiday: 24th August (Day of Independence from the Soviet Union)
Currency: Hryvnia (UAH) - cannot currently be exchanged due to the war economy

You can find more facts and figures on wikipedia, on the official website of Ukraine, on the pages of the German Federal Foreign Office, or e.g. at ukraine.com.

Small language excursion:

Hello – Привіт (Privit)
What’s your name? – Як тебе звати? (Jak tebe zvaty?)
Thank you – Дякую (Dyakuyu)
See you later – До зустрічі (Do sustriche)
Do you need help? – Вам допомогти? (Vam dopomohty?)
Yes – так (Tak)
No – ні (Ni)

Ukrainian is the second most spoken Slavic language. Together with Belarusian, Russian and Rusyn, it’s a part of the East Slavic languages, which are written in the Cyrillic alphabet. Ukrainian is most similar to Belarusian, followed by Polish and Slovak. However, although Russian and Ukrainian sound quite similar, they are less close. Comparable to French and Spanish, they are only partially mutually intelligible.

Both Ukrainian and Russian are spoken in Ukraine, with 42% of the population speaking Ukrainian at home in 2011, 38% speaking Russian and 17% speaking both. Ukrainian is more common in western and central Ukraine, Russian in parts of the south and east. The spelling of Ukrainian place names abroad is often based on the Russian pronunciation. An example is the name of the capital - the spelling Kyiv corresponds to the Ukrainian pronunciation, Kiev stems from Russian.

You can learn a few simple Ukrainian words and phrases for contact with refugees here. You can also find free sites for studying Ukrainian online, e.g. learn-ukrainian.com. In Dresden, VHS offers a short introductory course (in German).

Did you know that ....?

the Ukrainian flag shows a typical landscape view? The blue and yellow stripes symbolise the sky above ripe fields. Ukraine is considered the breadbasket of Europe, as the fertile black soil covering two thirds of its surface offers ideal conditions for agriculture. This is today's interpretation. The colour combination is one of the oldest in Europe, derived from the coat of arms of the medieval Rurikid dynasty.
there are many original Ukrainian musical instruments? Examples are the bandura (a mixture of harp and lute), the long wooden trumpet trembita, the tsymbaly and the sopilka flutes. The instruments are still popular in contemporary music - e.g. in this bandura cover of Requiem for a Dream, in a song that won the Eurovision Song Contest, or in the songs of electro-folk band Onuka.
the largest aircraft in the world was built and operated by Ukrainians? The Antonov An-225 Mriya was originally developed to transport space shuttles. Among other things, it also played an important role during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. In April 2020, it transported hundreds of tonnes of medical equipment from China to Europe, including about 7 million masks and protective gear. One of a kind, it unfortunately was destroyed in the war in February 2022.
Ukrainian inventions include the helicopter, the prototype of the CD, vaccines for the plague and cholera, and the modern beehive with movable honeycomb frames?
the first song in space was sung in Ukrainian? In 1962, cosmonaut Pavlo Popovych sang the famous Ukrainian song "I look at the sky and think" on the flight of Vostok-4. It was a special request by chief rocket engineer Serhiy Korolyov. Both men were from Ukraine.
the world's largest crossword puzzle is located on the wall of a building in Lviv? To solve the 30-metre-high puzzle, you have to explore the city, because the clues are hidden in its various landmarks. At nightfall, the answers appear in the grid as the fluorescent paint becomes legible. Lviv and its UNESCO World Heritage city centre got off lightly during the war compared to other places - so far.
the Amazon warrior women of Greek mythology may have been inspired by the Scythians and Sarmatians who used to live on the territory of today's Ukraine? These equestrian peoples have left us warrior graves with female skeletons whose clothing and weapons correspond to those of the males.
the Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation has planned to make all public services available online by 2024? Courses in digital education and fast internet connection throughout the country are part of the plan.
Ukraine was the first country in the world to completely give up its nuclear weapons? After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world's third largest nuclear weapons stockpile was located in Ukraine. In exchange for the disarmament, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom pledged to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and borders in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994.

History and Culture

Kyiv mural of a girl in Ukrainian traditional dress

Since the Euromaidan revolution and the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, Ukrainian traditional clothing has become popular again as a cultural symbol. Central to this is the vyshyvanka, an embroidered shirt worn by all genders and ages. Its patterns are geometric or floral and can have specific meanings - even words and numbers can be encoded in embroidery. Also typical: the vinok, a flower wreath worn mainly by young women. Normally, every year on the 3rd Thursday in May, people celebrate Vyshyvanka Day with festive parades. Today, many people take their traditional clothing with them as a memento when fleeing the country.

Ukraine, Russia and Belarus trace their roots back to the medieval empire of Kyivan Rus. Since its fall in the 13th century, today's Ukraine has been ruled by changing dominions and got its name as the Russian-Polish borderland (ukraina). In the 19th century, a Ukrainian national movement formed. It clashed with the idea of the trinity of Russian peoples preferred by the Russian Tsarist Empire and was therefore suppressed - today's conflict has old roots.

bread loaf elaborately decorated with ears of wheat and flowers made of dough

At Ukrainian weddings, the showstopper on the table is not a cake, but the East Slavic wedding bread Korovai. Its elaborate dough decorations have deep symbolism, e.g. wheat ears stand for prosperity, plaits for good contact between spouses and roses for beauty. The bread is also said to be an omen for married life - whoever breaks off the larger piece of bread will call the shots in the relationship.

easter eggs artfully decorated with complex and intricate patterns

In Ukrainian Orthodox Christianity, the most important holiday of the year is Easter, not Christmas. Store-bought Easter eggs are unusual - instead, the whole family gets together to decorate the elaborate pysanky. When decorating, the different shades of colour are separated from each other by applying beeswax.

statue of a starving girl, part of a memorial

After the incorporation of Ukraine into the Soviet Union, Ukrainian culture was initially promoted, but soon suppressed again. In the early 1930s, a series of bad harvests was strategically used by Josef Stalin to break the peasants' resistance to forced collectivisation as well as their will for independence. Despite food shortages, the state requisitioned more food and villages were plundered. In the ensuing famine, called Holodomor, 3 to 7 million people in Ukraine died.

How can I help?

At TU Dresden

Fundraiser for students and researchers affected by the war by the Association of Friends and Sponsors of TU Dresden
WE-Care
- Seeking help – e.g. upon arrival, finding a place to stay, starting / continuing studies or an academic job at TU Dresden
- Offering help – get involved as a buddy for students seeking refuge, material or monetary donations
Study opportunities for refugees - also available in Ukrainian and Russian

In Dresden / Saxony

Ukraine aid page by the city of Dresden (only in German)
- Information für arriving refugees
- For people willing to help
  - Material and monetary donations
  - Contact to voluntary associations looking for helping hands
  - Providing accommodation

Other

Where to donate?
e.g. Facebook groups – material donations are often needed
- Dresden hilft Flüchtlingen aus der Ukraine
- Dresden für Ukraine

Let's get cooking...

Ukrainian cuisine is very diverse, combining influences from various neighbouring countries and reflecting the richness of agricultural production. Bread and other grain-based products play a central role. A well-known example are Varenyky - dumplings that can be filled in a variety of savoury ways or with a sweet cherry filling. Buckwheat is also popular and is used in dishes like these hearty cabbage rolls. Garlic, horseradish, dill and mustard are typical seasonings.

Also worth mentioning is the variety of delicious compote drinks, such as Uzwar, which is a wintertime special cooked with dried fruits and honey.

Borscht with Pampushky

The bright red, sour and hearty borscht is known abroad as a part of Russian cuisine, but it originated in Ukraine. The earliest mention of the dish is in the diary of a German traveller who ate the soup in 16th century Kyiv. Borscht probably became popular throughout Russia thanks to a Soviet cookbook that collected recipes from different Soviet nationalities. Borscht is considered a national dish in Ukraine and is extremely popular. Seems like a good occasion to join in with the campaign #makeborschtnotwar.

Often, people simply accompany borscht with a slice of bread. However, pampushky, warm fluffy buns topped with garlic oil, are a particularly classic and delicious side dish. If you are put off by the long list of ingredients, you can of course make borscht without pampushky (but you are missing out).

Ingredients for Borscht

1 large beetroot
½ white cabbage
½ onion
2 carrots
½ bell pepper
3-4 potatoes
1.5 l vegetable stock
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
sour cream to serve

Spices

1 bay leaf
¼ tsp each of sugar, salt, paprika, pepper
1 pinch coriander
2 tsp chopped dill
1 clove of fresh garlic

Ingredients for Pampushky

250 ml milk
1 pack of dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp oil (sunflower)
380 g wheat flour
2 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
springform pan

For the garlic oil topping

3 tsp oil (sunflower)
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp chopped dill

1. Pampushky: Warm the milk to a lukewarm temperature. Add sugar and then yeast. Stir and let rest for 5-10 minutes until the yeast activates and the mixture becomes foamy.

2. Pampushky: Add oil, flour and salt and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s elastic and soft and can easily be formed into a ball. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel and leave to proof for about 1 hour until doubled in volume.

3. Borscht: Cut the vegetables. Dice onion, pepper, garlic and potatoes, cut the cabbage into thin strips, grate the carrots and beetroot.

4. Pampushky: Preheat oven to 180°C. Knead the dough again and then divide into 8 equal-sized balls. Evenly space them in an oiled springform pan. Leave to proof again for 30 minutes until there are no gaps left.

5. Borscht: Bring the vegetable stock to the boil together with paprika, coriander and the bay leaf. In a separate pan, fry the onions in oil until they are translucent. Add the carrots and bell pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add beetroot, tomato paste, lemon juice, sugar and some water. Let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

6. Borscht: Add the potatoes and cabbage to the boiling vegetable stock. Cook for 10 minutes until the potatoes are almost cooked through. Then add the contents of the pan and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the potatoes and cabbage are tender. Add the dill and garlic. Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice and sugar.

7. Pampushky: Brush the dough with the egg and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Chop or press the garlic. Mix it with oil and dill. When the pampushky come out of the oven, immediately spread the garlic mixture over them.

Serve the borscht with sour cream and warm pampushky - смачного!

(Many thanks to savaskitchen.com and jamiegeller.com!)