On March 6, 2003, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law “On the National Anthem of Ukraine,” which prescribed its text. It is based on a Ukrainian verse ethnographer, folklorist, poet Pavel Chubinsky “Ukraine has not yet died”, but in this edition:
Ukraine's glory and freedom have not yet died,
It is our destiny, young brothers, to smile.
Our warriors will perish like dew on the sun.
Let's go to our side, brothers.
Chorus:
We will lay down our souls and bodies for our freedom
And let us show what we are, brothers, to the Cossack family.
Chubinsky wrote the poem “Ukraine Has Not Yet Died” back in 1862. The text was first published in the Lvov magazine “Meta” in 1863. The music was written by Ukrainian composer Mikhail Verbitsky.
How to listen to the anthem
The law of Ukraine stipulates that at official or ceremonial events those present listen to the anthem while standing, and men without hats. If the anthem is played during the official ceremony of raising the national flag of Ukraine, those present turn to face the flag.
When performing the anthem, military personnel comply with the requirements established by military regulations.
How many seconds does the anthem last?
As Kyiv24 notes, The official version of the anthem lasts approximately 45 seconds. This is one of the shortest anthems in the world. The original full version of the poem by Pavel Chubinsky contains four couplets.
The most massive performance of the Ukrainian anthem
In 2022, on the occasion of Ukraine's Independence Day, people in 55 countries simultaneously sang the Ukrainian anthem and broke a world record. The editors of TSN talked about this.
The Voice of Ukraine website notes that after the full-scale invasion of the aggressor country, the Ukrainian anthem acquired even more symbolic meaning and sounds like a hymn of invincibility, resistance and national unity in the most difficult times for the Ukrainian people.
“The anthem is performed during military ceremonies, on the front line, during farewell to the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of Ukraine. It has become a symbol of courage not only for the military, but also for all citizens resisting aggression. It is often sung even during shelling in bomb shelters, which emphasizes the unbending spirit of Ukrainians,” the material says.
Context
10 different performances of the Ukrainian anthem can be heard here.
