Independence Day of Ukraine is celebrated every year on August 24 in honor of the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR in 1991 of the Act of proclaiming the independence of Ukraine - a political and legal document that certified the new status of the Ukrainian state.

This event was preceded by the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on July 16, 1990 of the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Ukraine, which proclaimed the independence, completeness and indivisibility of the Ukrainian state within its territory and independence and equality in foreign relations.

The adoption of the Act took place under conditions when, under the influence of external factors, Ukraine's sovereignty was under real threat. The attempt of a coup d'etat in the USSR in August 1991 revealed the complete dependence of the Union republics on developments in Moscow, their critical vulnerability. Only the complete failure of the Moscow putsch kept Ukraine from losing its national sovereignty and returning it to totalitarian times.

Taking this into account, on August 24, 1991 an extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR. It was on it, in the evening of August 24, with the active position of pro-Ukrainian forces, and the Act of Independence of Ukraine. This meant that the Ukrainian state has its indivisible and inviolable territory, on which only the Constitution and laws of Ukraine operate. It itself protects and protects its statehood, guarantees all its citizens the rights and freedoms, exclusively disposes of its natural resources, independently conducts its economy, has its own monetary and financial system and monetary unit, itself conducts an international policy and establishes equal relations with its neighbors, itself Develops science, education, culture.

At the same time, the Council recognized the need to hold an all-Ukrainian referendum in support of the Independence Act and the election of the President of Ukraine. On December 1, 1991 Ukrainians took part in a nationwide referendum. 90.32% of citizens voted for the independence of Ukraine.

Having endorsed in the all-Ukrainian referendum the Act of proclaiming Ukraine's independence, the people gave this document a real force and began a new stage in the development of the history of our state.