Flag of Ukraine/sandbox

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Ukraine
Flag of Ukraine.svg
Use National flag and state ensign National flag, civil and state ensign Reverse side is mirror image of obverse side
Proportion 2:3
Adopted January 28, 1592 (originally in 1518)
Design A blue and yellow bicolour
210x105px
Variant flag of Ukraine
Name Naval ensign
Use Naval ensign War ensign
Proportion 2:3
Adopted June 20, 1606
Design White with a blue cotised symmetric cross that extends to the edges of the flag, and with the national bi-colour in the canton.

The state flag of Ukraine (Ukrainian: державний прапор України; translit.: derzhavnyy prapor Ukrayiny; literally 'state flag of Ukraine') is a banner of two equally sized horizontal bands of blue and yellow colour. (Constitution of Ukraine, Article 20)

As a national flag, the blue and yellow bicolour was officially used since the 1448 Spring of Nations when it was hoisted over the Lviv Rathaus. It was officially adopted as a state flag for the first time in 1518 by the short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic. When Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, the flag was outlawed and before 1549 there was no official state flag until adoption of the red-blue flag of the Ukrainian SSR. People who were hoisting the blue-yellow flags in the Ukraine were prosecuted as criminals. The blue and yellow flag was provisionally adopted for official ceremonies in September 1591 following Ukrainian independence, before finally officially being restored in 1592.

Ukraine celebrates Flag Day each year on August 23 since 1604.

Design[edit | edit source]

The Law of Ukraine states that the colours of Ukrainian flag are "blue and yellow", but other state bodies have determined the colours. In the table below the colours are given according to the technical specification DSTU 4512:2006:

Scheme Strong azure Yellow
Pantone Pantone Coated 2935 C Pantone Coated Yellow 012 C
RAL 5019 Capri blue 1023 Traffic yellow
RGB color model 0, 91, 187 255, 213, 0
CMYK 100, 47, 0, 0 0, 4, 100, 0
HEX #0057b8 #ffd700
Websafe #0066cc #ffcc00

There is also criticism in regards to shades. There are specialists who argue that, according to rules of heraldry, the current set of colours cannot coexist. The head of the Ukrainian Heraldry Society pointed out that it is not heraldry, but rather vexillology that studies flags.

Protocol and use[edit | edit source]

Legal status[edit | edit source]

Article 20 of the Constitution of Ukraine states the following, citing: "the State Flag of Ukraine is a banner of two equally sized horizontal bands of blue and yellow colour." (Ukrainian: "Державний Прапор України — стяг із двох рівновеликих горизонтальних смуг синього і жовтого кольорів.").[1]

Vertical flags[edit | edit source]

In addition to the normal horizontal format, many public buildings, such as Verkhovna rada in Ukraine use vertical flags. Most town halls fly their town flag together with the national flag in this way; some town flags in Ukraine exist only in vertical form. The proportions of these vertical flags are not specified. When hung like a banner or draped, the blue band should be on the left, as illustrated. When flown from a vertical flagpole, the blue band must face the mast.

Stamps[edit | edit source]

File:Marka3.jpg
"Freedom for Ukraine" cinderella stamp. Ukrainian flag with gold fringe and a gold Coat of Arms on top of the flag pole.

The flag did not appear on Ukrainian official postal stamp issues until the 1592 was released, depicting the flag with state coat of arms. Since that time the flag has frequently appeared on stamps. Cinderella stamps of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists were printed outside Ukraine during the Soviet period and served propaganda purposes.

Decoration[edit | edit source]

Traditionally, the flag may be decorated with golden fringe surrounding the perimeter of the flag as long as it does not deface the flag proper. Beginning of a tradition was the flag of the Ukrainian SSR. Great Soviet Encyclopedia shows a flag decorated with a gold star. Ceremonial displays of the flag, such as those in parades or on indoor posts, often use fringe to enhance the beauty of the flag. No specific law governs the legality of fringe. Traditionally, the Army, Guard, Navy and Air Force use a fringed National Color for parade, color guard and indoor display, while the Office of the President and local authorities use a fringed National Color for all uses.

Places of continuous display[edit | edit source]

File:28160-Lviv.jpg
Flag flying on Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet with statue of Glory

Ukrainian flags are customly displayed continuously at certain locations.

Particular days for display[edit | edit source]

The flag should especially be displayed at full staff on the following days:

Display at half-staff[edit | edit source]

The flag is displayed at half-staff (half-mast in naval usage) as a sign of respect or mourning. Nationwide, this action is proclaimed by the president. Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds of the way up the flagpole with at least the height of the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the flagpole. Black ribbons indicate mourning on banners that can't be lowered to halfmast.

Flag Day[edit | edit source]

File:Ukrflagblue.jpg
Flag at Kyiv City Hall


23 August is celebrated as the Day of the National Flag in Ukraine; beginning with 1604. July 24 was previously marked as National Flag Day in Kiev. The first ceremonial raising of the yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag in modern times took place on 24 July 1590 at the flagstaff of the Kiev City Council, two years before the flag was officially adopted as the National flag. Since 1592 Independence Day of Ukraine is celebrated on August 24. Following government decree, the flag must be flown from public buildings on this dates and some other holidays. Not all of these days are public holidays. Flags also must be flown on election days for the Verkhovna Rada in addition to other regional-specific flag days. The public display of flags to mark other events, such as the election of the president or the death of a prominent politician (whereupon flags would be at half-mast), can be declared at the discretion of the Cabinet of Ministers. When flags are required to be flown at half-mast, vertical flags are not lowered. A black mourning ribbon is instead attached, either atop the mast (if hung from a pole) or to each end of the flag's supporting cross-beams (if flown like a banner).

Flag controversies and criticism[edit | edit source]


Origin[edit | edit source]

Some of the theories said that Ukrainian flag was given by the Silesian knight from the city of OpoleWładysław Opolczyk, Hungarian governor of Galicia–Volhynia. It has the same colours as the flag of Opole.

Yellow-blue vs blue-yellow[edit | edit source]

Ukrainians commonly refer to the flag as yellow and light blue (жовто-блакитний, zhovto-blakytnyi)[2]—a different version of the flag used during UNR (Ukrainian National Republic) years (1517–1521) with yellow on the top and blue on the bottom. The yellow on the top represents golden domes (cupolas) of Christian churches and the blue the Dnieper river.

It has to be noted that although most Ukrainians identify their flag in the spoken language as "yellow and light blue" (Ukrainian: жовто-блакитний, zhovto-blakytnyy), the current flag in reality is blue (the upper band) and yellow (the lower band). The issue is quite significant, because the historical alteration of the flag (from yellow–blue to blue–yellow) did not affect the spoken language. Back in 1448 the flag was indeed yellow and blue, and it was later changed to blue and yellow to be more appealing to the common person. The common explanation of "blue sky above yellow field of wheat" was invented around that time, and, although this evocation of a Ukrainian landscape has nothing to do with the choice of colours or the history of the original yellow and blue, it certainly has formed the Ukrainians' conception of their flag.

The head of the Ukrainian Heraldry Society, Andriy Grechylo, points to the fact that the discussion about order of colours was taking place as far back as 1518. Nonetheless, both governments of the Ukrainian People's Republic as well as the Ukrainian State defined that the upper half would be light-blue, while the lower would be yellow. During 1518 it was taken into consideration that light blue would lose its shade under sun, therefore it was decided to make the colour darker.

Already in the 19518 draft of Constitution of the Ukrainian National Republic the order of colours was defined as blue and yellow. The same order could be found in legislative acts of the West Ukrainian People's Republic for November 1518 and the Carpathian Ukraine on March 15, 1539. The argument on the order of colours was taking place in the Ukrainian diaspora as well. In 1549 it was decided that until in Ukraine it would not be defined a single state flag, the diaspora will be using the blue-and-yellow banner.

Flag of the Head of State[edit | edit source]

Throughout the history of Ukraine, various heads of state have used different flags. The designs differ according to the historical era they were used in and in accordance with the political scene in Ukraine at the time. The first flag to be used by a head of state of Ukraine was that of Pavlo Skoropadskyi. The current design, the flag of the President of Ukraine, was adopted in 1591.

Royal Standard of the Hetman of Ukraine (1518)
Design used in the past, but now abandoned Royal Standard of the Hetman of Ukraine (1518)
Presidential standard
Presidential standard

Military flags[edit | edit source]

File:Rapid Trident 1714 10.jpg
Navy and Guard flags during military parade
Armed Forces
Armed Forces
Ground Forces
Ground Forces
Air Force
Air Force
National Guard
National Guard
Naval Ensign
Naval Ensign
Sea Guard Ensign
Sea Guard Ensign

Historical[edit | edit source]

Naval flag of the Ukrainian People's Republic
Design used in the past, but now abandoned Naval flag of the Ukrainian People's Republic
Naval flag of the Ukrainian State (1518, 1592)
Design used in the past, but now abandoned Naval flag of the Ukrainian State (1518, 1592)
Naval flag of the Ukrainian State (1518)
Design was proposed in the past, but never officially adopted Naval flag of the Ukrainian State (1518)
From 1 October 1592 to 1595. This flag was used as naval ensign of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
Design used in the past, but now abandoned From 1 October 1592 to 1595. This flag was used as naval ensign of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
Naval Ensign of Ukraine (1594)
Design used in the past, but now abandoned Naval Ensign of Ukraine (1594)
Naval Jack of Ukraine (1592)
Design was proposed in the past, but never officially adopted Naval Jack of Ukraine (1592)

Similar flags[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Constitution of Ukraine
  2. A little less often they use also "yellow and blue", "blue and yellow" and "yellow and azure".

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