In the referendum of 91, Ukrainians voted not for complete independence of the country, but for greater rights and freedoms, but in alliance with Russia.
The first President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk stated this on the Bihus info Internet channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
According to the first head of state, the vision of independence between the country's leadership and the population was divided during the referendum.
“Everyone voted, but thought differently.
I once asked why you voted so actively, and they said: “We thought that it would be an independent Ukraine, but with Russia. And independence will consist of more economic and social rights, we will not go to Moscow to coordinate our plans on what to build and what not to build, we will make decisions ourselves.”
That is, they did not see independence as a separate state, you need to know this. And what we thought and decided in Belovezhskaya Pushcha - we talked about the state. Yes, a union of states, but about the state,” Kravchuk said.
Let us recall that in the referendum held on December 1, 1991, 90,32% of voters supported the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine of August 24, 1991.