By Bohdan Cherniawski
May 18, 2025
Ukrainian Roots in the Far East
In the summer of 2020, the Russian Far East—often dismissed as a remote outpost in the vast geography of the Russian Federation—became the unlikely stage for one of the most persistent and organic protest movements in recent Russian history. In the city of Khabarovsk, tens of thousands took to the streets for weeks, decrying the arbitrary arrest of their governor, Sergei Furgal (BBC News, 2020). These demonstrations, while initially sparked by a political incident, evoked something much deeper and older: a regional identity forged through a long history of resistance to centralized Russian authority. This resistance has roots that stretch back to the early 20th century, when Ukrainian settlers in the Far East laid the foundations for what they envisioned as an extension of an independent Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin has, in recent years, staked territorial claims based on the presence of Russian-speaking populations, most notably in his speech on September 30, 2022, announcing the annexation of four Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia (Putin, 2022). His rationale hinges on ethnic and linguistic affinity. But if one were to consistently apply that logic, it raises questions about the legitimacy of Russian control over vast, ethnically diverse territories like Siberia and the Far East. In this context, the story of the Green Wedge (Zelenyi Klyn), also known as Green Ukraine, becomes more than just an obscure historical footnote; it serves as a counterpoint to imperial narratives, a reminder of alternative political trajectories that were suppressed by authoritarian forces (Kraliuk, 2020).
The Green Wedge, settled by hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians at the turn of the 20th century, was more than just a colony—it was, for many of its inhabitants, a potential eastern extension of an independent Ukraine.
This essay examines the formation of Ukrainian identity in the Far East, the establishment of the Ukrainian Far Eastern Republic, its violent suppression by the Bolsheviks, and the enduring echoes of this legacy in contemporary protests. Through this lens, the Khabarovsk protests are not merely political disturbances but part of a longer historical continuum of Ukrainian resistance, cultural survival, and the enduring aspiration for freedom, even at the periphery of the empire.
Political Awakening and the Dream of Unity
But this vision of regional self-rule would soon collide with the harsh realities of a resurgent Bolshevik empire.
The collapse of the Russian monarchy in 1917 created an opening for Ukrainian settlers to organize politically. Ukrainian councils formed, cultural life flourished, and Ukrainian was adopted as a working language. By 1918, the Ukrainian Far Eastern Republic was established, centered in Vladivostok and governed by the Ukrainian Far Eastern Krai Council and its executive secretariat (Hunczak, 1990).
The political aspiration was unification with the Ukrainian People’s Republic. Local Ukrainian newspapers like Ukrainets na Zelenomu Klyni, Nova Ukraina, and Hromadska Dumka promoted this vision (Kraliuk, 2020). Ukrainian leaders formed alliances with Russian liberals, Cossack militias, Buryat representatives, and Chinese merchant groups—all committed to regional self-rule and cultural preservation. This cooperative model was a striking counterpoint to the centralizing, imperial tendencies of both Tsarist and Bolshevik regimes (Riasanovsky & Steinberg, 2010).
This resistance mirrors today’s Ukrainian anti-imperial struggle in Russian-occupied territories such as Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk. In both cases, Ukrainians mobilized around local governance, identity, and resistance to forced assimilation (Plokhy, 2015; Kuzio, 2024).
Suppression, Russification, and Memory
The Bolsheviks’ rise to power in the early 20th century marked a brutal turning point for the Ukrainian Far East. What had been a period of cultural flourishing and political autonomy quickly came to an end. In 1920, the Bolsheviks established the Far Eastern Republic as a buffer state, effectively dismantling the Ukrainian Far Eastern Republic by 1922. Prominent Ukrainian leaders, including Yurii Hlushko-Mova, were arrested, and many were executed. Ukrainian institutions, schools, and cultural organizations were shut down, and the process of Russification
intensified under Bolshevik rule (Hunczak, 1990). In 1924, a high-profile political trial in Chita convicted dozens of Ukrainian activists on charges of nationalism and opposition to Soviet authority (Plokhy, 2015).
A brief period of Ukrainization emerged in 1931, which included plans for Ukrainian-language instruction in 809 schools and administrative reforms across six districts. However, Stalin swiftly abolished this program in 1932, disbanding all Ukrainian organizations.
Despite these setbacks, Ukrainian identity in the region proved remarkably resilient. Ukrainian theater groups continued to perform, Prosvita organizations operated, and cultural journals circulated in cities like Harbin, Khabarovsk, and Vladivostok (Kraliuk, 2020). In Harbin, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) established a strong presence by 1937. Composed largely of Ukrainian émigrés and exiles, the Harbin chapter of the OUN engaged in political agitation and cultural outreach. On the 20th anniversary of Ukraine’s brief independence, OUN leaders in Harbin issued a declaration calling on Ukrainian youth in the Far East to resist Bolshevism and stand for a united, sovereign Ukraine extending to the Pacific Ocean. This declaration underscored an unbroken resolve for national liberation and expressed solidarity with occupied Ukraine while also maintaining the dream of a resurrected Green Ukraine (Riasanovsky & Steinberg, 2010).
In the following decades, despite increasing assimilation pressures, Ukrainian identity continued to survive. The Ukrainian language remained spoken by a significant portion of the population, and cultural life persisted in various forms. By the 1990s, more than half a million Ukrainians were living in the Far East. A 1989 survey found that 40% of the population still considered Ukrainian their native language. However, political and cultural suppression, alongside the pressures of assimilation, led many to identify as Russians.
By 2011, census data reported only 50,000 Ukrainians in the Far East—a stark drop from previous decades. This decline, however, does not represent the disappearance of the Ukrainian community; rather, it reflects the forced identification due to the ongoing political and cultural suppression of Ukrainian identity (Kraliuk, 2020; Plokhy, 2015; Martynenko, 2024).
Khabarovsk 2020—Resistance Reborn
In the summer of 2020, Khabarovsk became the epicenter of Russia’s most organic protest movement in recent years. Sparked by the arrest of regional governor Sergei Furgal, the demonstrations evolved into a broader critique of Moscow’s authoritarian rule (BBC News, 2020). Protesters’ slogans such as “Putin! We need a decent salary and pension, not war with Ukraine!”—echoed discontent with central power and military aggression (Simes, 2020).
The protests also evoked a deeper cultural memory. Among descendants of forcibly assimilated peoples, including Ukrainians of the Green Wedge, the demonstrations reflected long-standing resentment toward centralization. The decentralized and persistent nature of the protests mirrored the spirit of Ukrainian settlers who had once sought autonomy at the empire’s edge (Kraliuk, 2020).
This resonance with cultural memory parallels the situation in Russian-occupied Ukraine today. In both cases, grassroots resistance challenges Moscow’s imperial authority. Local identity, history, and regional pride serve as counterweights to enforced nationalism (Lozowy, 2023; Yermolenko, 2025). Just as the Green Wedge dream sought unification with a free Ukraine, today’s defenders of Ukraine seek sovereignty against renewed attempts at imperial subjugation.
Moscow’s Response—Suppressing the Embers of Dissent
The Kremlin reacted to the Khabarovsk protests as it has to other dissent: with suppression, propaganda, and crackdowns. Initially dismissed as marginal, the protests were met with arrests, media blackouts, and surveillance (Human Rights Watch, 2022).
Since then, anti-war protests, anti-mobilization campaigns, and resistance by ethnic minorities like the Buryats and Tuvans have continued across the Far East. Though large-scale actions have waned, individual defiance persists. In 2023, a Khabarovsk activist received a 15-year sentence for attempting to burn a military recruitment office (AP News, 2023).
Online platforms like Telegram and blogs have become vital tools for dissent and information sharing (Lozowy, 2023). Cultural preservation efforts also continue: Ukrainian descendants promote language learning, archive history, and resist assimilation through heritage activism.
Moscow’s repression is rooted in fear—not only of political criticism but of historical memory returning. Its policies targeting “foreign agents” and dissident educators are part of a broader campaign to erase non-Russian identities (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 2022).
From the Taiga to Donbas
The story of the Ukrainian Far Eastern Republic is not merely a historical footnote; it is a powerful symbol of defiance, a testament to a people’s unwavering will to preserve their culture
and sovereignty against all odds. Once relegated to obscurity, this historical episode now demands attention—not just as a curiosity, but as a clear reflection of the present-day struggle for self-determination and identity.
As Ukraine resists imperial domination today, the echoes of its past resistance in the Far East resonate loudly. The Green Wedge may be geographically distant, but its legacy endures in every protest, every battle, and every act of defiance against Russian imperialism. From the taiga to the trenches of Donbas, the spirit of Ukrainian resilience is not just alive—it is resurgent, stronger than ever.
The struggle for Ukraine’s sovereignty is not a fight for territory alone; it is a fight for the very right to exist on their own terms, free from the crushing weight of empire. History has shown that no matter the distance or the silence imposed, nations remember—and they rise. Ukraine’s fight is not just for today, but for the future of every oppressed people who refuse to be erased. This is not the end of the story, it is only the beginning. The empire may try to crush the spirit of resistance, but the will of a people cannot be extinguished. Ukraine will prevail.
References
- AP News. (2023). Russian activist sentenced for firebombing military office in protest of Ukraine war. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-khabarovsk-conscription
- BBC News. (2020). Khabarovsk protests: Thousands rally for governor’s release. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53439114
- Human Rights Watch. (2022). Russia: Arrests, Harassment in Crackdown on Protesters. https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/03/07/russia-arrests-harassment-crackdown-protesters
- Hunczak, T. (1990). The Ukrainian Republic in the Far East: Historical Context and Legacy. Ukrainian Quarterly, 46(1), 21–35.
- Kraliuk, P. (2020). Protests in Khabarovsk and the Forgotten Ukrainians of the Green Wedge. Radio Svoboda. https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/zelena-ukraina-dalekyi-skhid/30753549.html
- Kuzio, T. (2024). Russian Imperialism and the Ukrainian Response. Kyiv Academic Press.
- Lozowy, E. (2023). Online Resistance and Identity in Putin’s Russia: Regional Dissent in the Digital Age. Post-Soviet Affairs, 39(2), 210–232.
- Martynenko, A. (2024). Vanishing Identities: Russification and Assimilation in Post-Soviet Space. New Baltic Review.
- Plokhy, S. (2015). The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine. Basic Books.
- Putin, V. (2022, September 30). Speech on the accession of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia to the Russian Federation. http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/69465
- Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. (2022). Russia’s Ethnic Minorities Say ‘No’ To Putin’s War. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ethnic-minorities-no-to-war/31849349.html
- Riasanovsky, N. V., & Steinberg, M. D. (2010). A History of Russia (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.
- Simes, D. (2020). Why Russians Are Protesting in the Far East. The Moscow Times. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/07/15/why-russians-are-protesting-in-the-far-east-a70970
- Yermolenko, V. (2025). Memory Wars and Resistance: Ukraine’s Fight for Identity in the 21st Century. European Democracy Studies.