The Armenian community in Ukraine is one of the largest and oldest among the entire expatriate (Armenian expatriates of the world). It has up to 100,000 people (excluding Donbass).
Let's look at how and when Armenians came to be in Ukraine and how they live there now.
Armenians of Kievan Rus'
Thus, Armenians appeared in Kiev in their own Kievan Rus' era.
Anna of Armenian descent – a Byzantine princess who became the wife of Prince St. Vladimir and helped him undergo Russian baptism.
As can be seen from the chronicle, as early as the 11th century, the Russian prince Yaroslav appealed for the help of Armenian soldiers from Byzantium - to help fight against the Polish invasion of King Poleslav. Some of these servicemen remain in Russia.
In the annals of history (Kiev-Pechersky Patrick), an Armenian physician who personally treated Prince Monomacher is also described.
Commonwealth Armenians
Lviv Medieval Armenian Cathedral
Another wave of Armenians moved to southern Russia as early as the Middle Ages.
Armenians from Bagratid Armenians captured by the nomadic Seljuk Turks were transferred to Crimea and then to the territories of modern western Ukraine (Lviv and its surroundings).
As a result, already in the 14th century, a large Armenian community was formed in Galicia-Galicia, captured by the Poles, granted autonomy by the Kings of the Commonwealth - the opportunity to use their mother tongue Armenian and live according to their own Armenian law (Mkhitar Gosh's lawsuit).
An important memory of that era is the majestic Armenian Christian Cathedral in Lviv, which dates back to 1367 and is protected by UNESCO (pictured above).
Armenians in Ukraine today
Arsen Avakov
Today, however, armenians who migrated to southern Russia in the Middle Ages have largely assimilated. Many people have surnames with Polish endings - sky - such as the ancestors of the famous artist Ivan Aivazovsky (Hovhannes Ayvazyan).
Today in Ukraine, the basis of the Armenian community is made up of Armenians who have recently moved here – during the Soviet period. Basically, they live in the big cities of the south, east and center of the country – Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa, the Dnieper River (Dnipropetrovsk). However, the center of the Armenian Church of Ukraine remains in Lviv.
Interestingly, the Armenian community in Ukraine almost doubled in the 1990s, when many refugees and migrants from Transcaucasia arrived in the country.
Boxer Artyom Darakian
Ukraine's most famous Armenians include former Minister of the Interior Arsen Avakov, Eurovision champion singer Jamala (whose mother is Armenian), world-famous boxer Artyom Darakian, millionaire and businessman Nver Mkhitaryan, performer Mika Fattalov (Tosanyan), and dancer Varda (Vardanush Matirossio).
Singer Jamala has Armenian ancestry next to her mother.
It should be noted that many Armenians today strongly oppose the policy of modern Ukraine aimed at allying themselves with the West and Turkey, and do not recognize the Armenian genocide of the Ottoman Empire of 1915.
Beautiful dancer Varda - Vardanush Martirosyan