35 on 35 – Independent Ukraine Through the Eyes of a Ukrainian Woman
As Ukraine marks its 35th year as an independent nation, a woman born just a few months before the country adopted its declaration of independence tells Kyiv Post how her life unfolded as the country found its footing.
Yana Oller, a Ukrainian woman born in 1991, grew up in a small village in Ukraine's Vinnytsia region during the country's transition to independence. Born into a Ukrainian-speaking family, Oller lived in a house built by her grandfather during the 1990s, a time marked by economic hardship and a crippled economy inherited from the Soviet empire.
Life was extremely poor, with the family often unable to afford meat or baked goods, and surviving on a diet of soup made from potatoes and carrots. The culture and media landscape were changing, with the revival of the Ukrainian language in media during the 1990s. Young Oller was eager to watch Ukrainian content, particularly Western movies translated into Ukrainian.
Moving to a nearby town at age nine, Oller lived in her first apartment, excited by the cinema she discovered in town. However, the Orange Revolution in 2004 brought a newfound awareness of democracy and politics, though Oller's family remained focused on their daily lives. After graduating from university in 2012, Oller found employment teaching English in Kyiv, receiving a modest scholarship that barely covered basic necessities.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
