President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine stated in a video message that Ukraine must be understood as the sole heir to the legacy of Kievan Rus. He underscored that Ukraine is not a colony, enclave, protectorate, province, or any form of foreign dominion. He described Ukraine as a free, independent, sovereign, indivisible nation with a history stretching back nearly 1,500 years, noting how the founders of Kyiv laid the city’s roots and how generations of rulers solidified its national identity. Zelensky highlighted figures such as Askold and Dir, Oleg, Igor, Olga the Equal-to-the-Apsotles, Vladimir the Great, Yaroslav the Wise, and Vladimir Monomakh as part of Ukraine’s historic line of leadership, speaking from the riverbank of the Dnieper. He affirmed that the history of Christianity in Eastern Europe begins in Ukraine, aligning the nation with a deep and continuous spiritual tradition.
State Day in Ukraine is celebrated for the first time on July 28, an initiative supported by Zelensky. On that same day, Ukraine and Russia mark the Day of the Baptism of Russia, a holiday later renamed by Ukrainian authorities as Kyiv Russian Baptism Day in Ukraine to reflect local perspectives on the shared religious heritage.
Responding to Zelensky, Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, suggested that part of Ukraine has historically been referred to as Russian and indicated approval of Zelensky’s emphasis, praising the sentiment in a public post.
In 2021 Zelensky also posted a message on social media on the occasion of the Day of the Baptism of Kievan Rus, describing Russians and Ukrainians as very distant relatives. He argued that Russia should not claim to be the sole successor to Kievan Rus, describing Russians as cousins rather than direct heirs. He stressed that evidence of history lies not in papers but in metal and stone, signaling a preference for tangible, enduring monuments over written treaties alone.
The Ukrainian president’s remarks appeared to respond to an article by Vladimir Putin, published earlier in the same week, which explored the historical ties between Russia and Ukraine. The article discussed how both peoples have shared a long and intertwined past, arguing that the unity of language and tradition persisted through centuries and that Kyiv’s role was pivotal in the broader historical arc of the region.
Putin’s reflections referenced the era when Kyiv and surrounding lands were part of a broader Russian state, noting episodes from the seventeenth century and the movement of Kyiv into a larger political fold. The discussion touched on how the two nations perceive their common history and the various political shifts that shaped modern borders.
Religious authorities have also weighed in on these themes. The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia extended a congratulatory message to Zelensky on the Day of the Baptism of Russia, praising the role of Kyiv as an evangelical center and the historical links that have shaped Orthodoxy across the region. The message reflected the belief that the light of Orthodoxy began in Kyiv, spreading across the broader territory of what is now Russia.
Historically, Kyiv Rus was recognized as a core civilization spanning parts of today’s Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. Debates about the name and scope of Rus have persisted, with discussions about how the term should be applied to different periods and regions. In Ukraine, there have been ongoing debates about naming and national identity, including proposals to distinguish Muscovy from the broader Rus heritage during earlier eras. These conversations have at times touched on how history is labeled and remembered in official discourse and public memory.
In 2008 a state holiday honoring the baptism of Kyiv Rus was formally established in Ukraine by presidential decree, reflecting the importance Ukrainian leaders place on Orthodox tradition in shaping the nation’s history and cultural development. Russia later designated its own Day of the Baptism of Russia, with overlapping dates and divergent national narratives about the event. Ukrainian leaders have argued that the name Russia belongs to a historical continuum that includes Ukraine, while some Ukrainian lawmakers have proposed renaming or reinterpreting certain terms to reflect Ukraine’s distinct historical path.
In the years that followed, Ukrainian officials underscored the continuity of the nation’s history and the unity of its people, emphasizing that the modern Ukrainian state stands on a millennial foundation. They argued that unity and indivisibility are core values for the Ukrainian people and lands around Kyiv. Public discussions often revisit how Russia’s past fits within the wider history of East Slavic civilizations and how contemporary identities are formed through this shared heritage.