Ukraine holds a crucial place in the origins of civilization — as the land of early urban development, the spread of Indo-European languages, and ancient grain trade routes that sustained empires. This is the core idea presented by historian Timothy Snyder in his article for Ukrainska Pravda.
“When Ukraine is part of the narrative, global history becomes clearer,” Snyder writes.
For the past three years, more than 100 Ukrainian and international researchers have been working on an ambitious project titled Ukrainian History: Global Initiative (UHGI). This unprecedented research aims to produce a comprehensive and enduring account of Ukrainian history — from prehistoric times to the present-day war.
The initiative was launched in 2019, prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion. Yet, even during wartime, the academic work has continued. Major international conferences were held in Kyiv in both 2024 and 2025.
The UHGI team includes experts from various disciplines — historians, archaeologists, biologists, and paleontologists — using cutting-edge tools and methods such as:
- ancient DNA analysis,
- LiDAR scanning,
- modern radiocarbon dating technologies.
Among the project’s key discoveries:
- Mezhyrich, a site in modern-day Ukraine where, around 20,000 years ago, people built dwellings from mammoth bones. The findings reveal deliberate planning and symmetry, indicating an early sense of aesthetics and design.
- Nebelyivka, a 6,000-year-old proto-city in central Ukraine, revealed through LiDAR imaging. These large settlements featured streets and public areas but lacked fortifications or temples.
- DNA data suggests that the origin of Indo-European language speakers can be traced to the southern Ukrainian steppes about 5,000 years ago. Today, roughly half of the world’s population speaks Indo-European languages.
- Steppe archaeology is reshaping myths: Ukrainian archaeologists, through DNA analysis, confirmed the presence of female warriors among the Scythians, reinforcing the historical basis for the legend of the Amazons.
Amid the ongoing war, Russia continues to destroy Ukraine’s cultural memory — burning books, looting museums, and bombing publishing houses and libraries. In such conditions, the humanities become a tool of national survival. Culture and historical memory are now part of Ukraine’s resistance.