Recognized abroad, overlooked at home: Ukrainians who shine on global stage
Historical figures who glorified Ukraine in the world but are almost forgotten at home (collage: RBC-Ukraine)
Their names are known worldwide, written about in textbooks, novels, and even Hollywood scripts. From Anna Yaroslavna and Ivan Mazepa to Solomiia Krushelnytska and Serhii Korolyov, these Ukrainians became part of world history. Their fates inspire. Streets and universities abroad are named after them. But in Ukraine, the memory of them often remains fragmented. Here is what is known about Ukrainians from different eras, from the Cossack times to the present day, whose names the world recognizes.
Ivan Mazepa: Hetman praised by Byron
In Europe, his name became legendary thanks to Voltaire and George Byron. In Ukraine, however, Mazepa remained a "traitor" for a long time in Soviet historiography.
In Poland, France, and even the US, paintings and literary works about him were published, while in Ukraine, until the 1990s, his name was nearly erased from memory.
Yurii Drohobych: Ukrainian humanist and rector of Bologna
As early as the 15th century, Yurii Drohobych (Kotermak) became the first Ukrainian to head the University of Bologna. His astronomical and medical works were known across Europe, and he was a teacher of the young Copernicus.
In Ukraine, only a few memorial plaques recall this world-class figure.
Solomiia Krushelnytska: Diva applauded in Milan
In Italy, Argentina, and France, she was a recognized opera star. Her voice was called "the voice of the century," and Giacomo Puccini owed her the success of "Madama Butterfly".
Around the world, streets and halls bear her name, while in Ukraine, monuments appeared only in recent decades, and not in every city.
Liudmyla Pavlychenko: 'Lady Death' welcomed at White House
The most successful female sniper of World War II. In the US, she spoke before thousands of students, and Eleanor Roosevelt called her a "symbol of courage." In Ukraine, however, not everyone knows her name, and monuments are almost nonexistent.
Viacheslav Chornovil: Dissident quoted worldwide
His parliamentary speeches and publications on Soviet repression were quoted by Western journalists back in the 1970s. He became a symbol of the independence movement, yet even today, Chornovil has no national monument. His memory is more honored abroad than at home.
Symon Petliura: Honored in Paris, disputed in Ukraine
A Ukrainian statesman and leader of the Directorate. Worldwide, he is seen as a symbol of resistance to Bolshevism. In Paris, his grave is a pilgrimage site for Ukrainians from around the globe. In Ukraine, monuments are few, and debates continue to this day.
Serhii Korolyov: Father of astronautics
The chief designer of the Soviet space program, without whom Gagarin’s flight would not have happened. The world recognizes him as the "father of astronautics," yet his Ukrainian roots are often overlooked. Abroad, films and books are dedicated to him, while in Ukraine, his name still requires wider recognition.
Kvitka Cisyk: Voice of America with Ukrainian soul
An opera singer and performer of advertising jingles in the US. She recorded two albums of Ukrainian songs, which became classics overseas.
Concerts in Canada and America are held in her name, while in Ukraine, only recently has her legacy begun to be remembered.
Anna Yaroslavna: Queen of France from Kyiv
The daughter of Prince Yaroslav the Wise became the wife of French King Henry I. In France, she is considered one of the most educated queens of the Middle Ages.
In Senlis, near Paris, a monument stands to "Anna of Kyiv." In Ukraine, this figure is mostly remembered in school textbooks, though she symbolizes Kyivan Rus’ cultural influence on Europe.
Oleksandr Arkhypenko: Ukrainian who changed 20th-century art
An avant-garde sculptor who worked in Paris and New York. His works are kept in museums worldwide, from MoMA in New York to the Louvre.
Arkhypenko is called one of the pioneers of modern sculpture, yet in Ukraine, his name is much less known than abroad.
Ahatanhel Krymsky: Orientalist recognized worldwide
One of the founders of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, fluent in dozens of languages. He is considered a genius of world Oriental studies. His works were published in Europe and Asia and are still cited today. In Ukraine, however, he remains mostly known within academic circles, not in popular culture.
Kateryna Yushchenko: Creator of first high-level programming language
In the 1950s, she developed the "Address programming language," outpacing the West by several years. Her name is honored in scientific circles, but in Ukraine, the general public scarcely knows that one of the pioneers of programming was a Ukrainian woman.
Modern volunteers and fighters: Recognized abroad, forgotten at home
Stories of today’s Ukrainian heroes—volunteers, soldiers, rescuers—often appear in The Guardian, NYT, Le Monde.
They become symbols of courage for a global audience. However, in Ukraine, their names mostly remain in short news and only occasionally receive memorial plaques.
You may be interested in:
- Who was Anna Yaroslavna and why she is honored in France
- Which Ukrainian was rector of the University of Bologna
Sources: Encyclopedia of Ukraine, Forgotten Galicia, KyivPost, Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, National Art Museum of Ukraine, BBC Ukraine, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
