Slava Ukraini – Glory to Ukraine: The History and Meaning Behind the Iconic Slogan

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Slava Ukraini! meaning Glory to Ukraine! is a phrase that resonates deeply across Ukraine. From the president to the schoolchild, from the soldier to the teacher – today, everyone in Ukraine and beyond uses the slogan “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!” (Slava Ukrayini! Geroyam Slava!).

But what does Slava Ukraini mean? How did it originate? Who first shouted it? And why is it so important for Ukrainians?

Glory to Ukraine in Ukrainian is Slava Ukraini

The first version of the slogan “Glory to Ukraine!” and the response “Glory throughout the land!” were used among the Ukrainian student community in Kharkiv at the end of the 19th century.

At this time, Ukraine was divided between the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Ukrainians were fighting for their cultural identity and political autonomy.

The Ukrainian student community in Kharkiv led to the creation of the Revolutionary Ukrainian Party (RUP) in 1900, the first modern Ukrainian political party under Russian occupation.

By March 1917, the revolution was beginning in Kyiv. At rallies in other regions, in response to the call “Long live free Ukraine!” one could already hear the resounding: “Glory! Glory to Ukraine!”

This was a typical slogan: “Long live the democratic republic! Glory to Ukraine!”

The slogan gained popularity during the Ukrainian War of Independence from 1917 to 1921. That erupted in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

During this period, a short-lived independent Ukrainian state, the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR), was formed. The UNR army adopted “Glory to Ukraine” as its official slogan and cemented the phrase as a powerful symbol of Ukrainian national identity.

Despite the UNR’s efforts, Ukraine was divided between the Soviet Union and Poland in the early 1920s.

Slava Ukraini meaning

The form of the slogan, as Ukrainians use it today, first came into use in the “Legion of Ukrainian Nationalists,” an organization active from 1925 to 1929.

When the issue of an organizational greeting arose, one of the leaders, Yuriy Artyushenko, suggested adopting the greeting: “Glory to Ukraine!” – “Glory to the Cossacks!” (“Slava Ukraini!” — “Kozakam slava!” in Ukrainian).

The community accepted the proposal, but with a modification of the response into: “Glory to the heroes!” i.e.. Geroyam slava in Ukrainian.

Adoption of the slogan by Ukrainian nationalist groups

The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) adopted this slogan and formalized it as the official greeting of the organization in 1941 at their assembly. The required words for a full greeting were: “Glory to Ukraine” with the response “Glory to the heroes.” A shortened greeting of simply “Glory” – “Glory” was also permitted.

This call-and-response format became a powerful symbol of the OUN’s commitment to its cause and its veneration of those who fought and died for Ukrainian independence. You might be wondering why this phrase was so important to the OUN?

The slogan expressed Ukrainian identity and aspirations at a time when Ukraine was divided between the Soviet Union and Poland. Using “Glory to Ukraine” and “Glory to the heroes,” the OUN sought to inspire a sense of national pride and unity among Ukrainians.

The Soviet regime viewed Ukrainian nationalism as a threat to its power and the unity of the Soviet state. They banned the use of “Glory to Ukraine” and other Ukrainian national symbols. And harshly persecuted those who dared to express these sentiments.

Many members of the OUN were arrested, imprisoned, or executed by the Soviets for their political activities and their use of the slogan.

Resurgence after Ukrainian independence

The next vivid recollections of the slogan date back to the 1990s, when Ukraine gained relative freedom of speech after the collapse of the Soviet Union. During this period, the phrase was extended to include: “Glory to the nation! Death to the enemies!” and “Ukraine above all!”.

This extension was utilized by the Ukrainian Nationalist Self-Defense (UNSO) – the paramilitary wing of the Ukrainian National Assembly (UNA) party. The phrase gained even greater prominence during the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, also known as Euromaidan or the Revolution of Dignity.

Protesters who gathered in Kyiv’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) to protest the government’s decision to suspend the signing of an association agreement with the European Union frequently chanted “Glory to Ukraine!” and “Glory to the heroes!”

As the Euromaidan protests escalated into a full-scale confrontation with the government of then-President Viktor Yanukovych, “Glory to Ukraine” took on added significance as a symbol of resistance and defiance.

Following the ousting of Yanukovych and the start of Russia’s military intervention in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine in 2014, “Glory to Ukraine” became a battle cry for Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers fighting to defend their country’s territorial integrity.

Official salute in the Armed Forces and the National Police

In 2018, “Glory to Ukraine” and “Glory to the heroes” were officially adopted as official salute in the Armed Forces and the National Police, replacing the Soviet-era “Hello, comrades.”

The Ukrainian Armed Forces first adopted it on August 24, 2018, during the military parade for Independence Day.

“I have decided that starting from August 24, these words will be heard for the first time as part of the official ceremony of the military parade in honor of Ukraine’s Independence Day. And before the start of the new session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, as this involves changes to the statutes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, these words and this greeting will become the official military salute of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” announced the then President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

Global recognition during the 2022 Russian invasion

As Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, “Glory to Ukraine” rapidly gained worldwide recognition as a powerful symbol of Ukrainian resistance and courage in the face of aggression. The phrase, which had long been a patriotic rallying cry within Ukraine, suddenly became famous worldwide.

One of the key figures driving this global recognition was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Zelenskyy begins and concludes his speeches to international audiences and world leaders with the phrase “Slava Ukraini” (Glory to Ukraine).

For instance, when addressing the Ukrainian parliament in May 2022, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ended her remarks with “Glory to Ukraine”, while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson greeted locals with the phrase on the way during a walkabout in Kyiv with President Zelenskyy.

From New York to London, Paris to Tokyo, protesters chanted the slogan as they marched in solidarity with Ukraine, often waving Ukrainian flags and holding signs denouncing Russian aggression.

Killed for the slogan “Glory to Ukraine”

In March 2023, Ukraine and the world were shaken by a video showing the execution of Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Matsiyevsky by Russian forces, whose last words were “Glory to Ukraine” before he was shot dead.

The 42-year-old sniper of the 163rd battalion of the 119th separate brigade of the TRO of the Chernihiv region, Oleksandr, standing in a small pit, takes a drag of a cigarette and says, “Glory to Ukraine,” after which the Russians open fire, shooting him first in the head, then riddling his body with bullets several more times.

Who was Oleksandr Matsiyevskyi?

Oleksandr Matsiyevskyi was born on May 10, 1980, in Moldova, where his mother had been assigned to work as a technologist at the Chisinau shoe factory. Oleksandr completed his secondary education and graduated from an electrotechnical college in Moldova. The family later returned to Nizhyn, Ukraine.

Until February 2022, Oleksandr worked in his field of expertise. When Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he decided to join the Nizhyn Territorial Defense, where he was enlisted on March 11.

In December, his battalion was deployed to the east, but Oleksandr did not inform his mother that he was heading to the active combat zone. Their last phone conversation took place on December 29. It was then that the mother realized her son was at the front line, following his words, “Mom, I will never surrender!”

On December 30, 2022, near the outskirts of Soledar, Matsiyevskyi and four other servicemen engaged in a battle with Russian forces, after which communication with them was lost. Later, his family was informed that Oleksandr had died. Following this, his body was returned to Ukraine as part of an exchange, and on February 14, 2023, Oleksandr Matsiyevskyi was buried in Nizhyn.

“This is a true hero who, even facing death, showed the world what Ukrainian resilience and character are like. Such defenders are protecting our land today so that the enemy will be defeated. The Great Victory of Ukraine is made up of heroic deeds by individuals like Oleksandr Matsiyevsky. Glory to the hero! Glory to the heroes! Glory to Ukraine!” noted the head of the SBU, Vasyl Malyuk.

The meaning and significance of “Glory to Ukraine”

“Glory to Ukraine” is more than a simple patriotic slogan; it embodies the essence of Ukrainian national identity, sovereignty, and values. At its core, “Glory to Ukraine” expresses pride in being Ukrainian and a declaration of the country’s right to self-determination. As long as Ukrainians continue to raise this slogan, their struggle for freedom will endure, and their glory will never fade.

A prominent Ukrainian poet, Taras Shevchenko, in his poem of 1840, “To Osnovyanenko”, wrote these lines:

Our thoughts and our melodies
Forever shall reign…
Here lies our glory, our people’s pride,
The glory of Ukraine!

About the author:

Hello and welcome! My name is Victoria, and I’m a private tour guide in Kyiv. Since 2016, I have been offering private tours on various topics for visitors to the capital of Ukraine. I speak fluent English and love sharing stories. When not guiding, I write about Ukraine on my blog and my travel experiences and insights in Sweden and the Baltics.