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b'Thirty years ago, on 1 December 1991, more than 90% of Ukrainian voters voted for the country\\u2019s independence, with turnout exceeding 80%. The referendum served as a democratic legitimation after Ukraine had declared its independence on 24 August 1991. The declaration of independence and its public approval were a watershed moment for Ukraine and Soviet history in the decisive year of 1991. Afterward it had become clear that the further existence of the USSR, without its second largest republic, had become unrealistic. To this day, the Ukrainian independence leaves a contested legacy. The memories of 1991 are intertwined with contested questions of national identity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. For this episode, Serhii Plokhii and Gwendolyn Sasse join our host F\\xe9lix Krawatzek to discuss Ukrainian independence, its aftermath and what it means for Ukraine to this day. (Music: \\u201cComplete\\u201d by Modul is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0-License.)'