January 2018 saw the first celebrations commemorating the centenary of Ukraine’s fight for
independence (1917–1921). The first two of these events, commemorating the declaration of
independence (22 January 1918) and the battle of Kruty (29 January 1918), were surprisingly
small-scale, especially with regard to the participation of Ukraine’s leadership in them. This
may mean that the ruling elite has no concept of how to use the centenary to solidify its political
position, also in the context of the presidential and parliamentary elections planned
for 2019. At the same time, a profound shift in the narrative regarding the fight from a century
ago has been evident in the media reports and educational materials published by the
Ukrainian Institute for National Remembrance (UINP). The emphasis is no longer placed on the
armed struggle and the continuation of the leftist tradition of the government of the Ukrainian
People’s Republic; instead, priority is given to the efforts to build a state and create its
institutions, including professional armed forces. The anarchist-revolutionary traditions are
criticised, and the importance of order and discipline is highlighted
