Three Slavic sisters

Belarus, Ukraine and Russia are three Slavic sisters. Culturally and intellectually, the titular nationalities of these republics have much in common. We are referring to three ethnic entities of the eastern Slavic nations. Our languages are similar and our life-styles and patterns of behavior are in many ways similar. The modern peoples of Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia all claim Kievan Rus’ as their cultural inheritance.

Belarus, Ukraine and Russia are Trinity with divine ties. Holy Trinity Icon, by Russian painter Andrei Rublev, 15th century.

Kyivan Rus was the common cradle of the three East Slavic nations. The Eastern Slavs originally constituted one Old Rus nationality or ethnicity that spoke a common language. It
was the Mongol invasion that divided the people of Rus and set them on separate paths of development, which eventually led to the formation of three modern nations. Ukrainians and Belorussians are subgroups, distinguished by variants of Russian culture and dialects of the Russian language.

Friendship of Peoples fountain at the All-Union Exhibition of People’s Economic Achievements in Moscow. Naturally, not only Russia, Ukraine and Belarus were referred to as “sister republics”. The metaphor of “Sisterhood” was meant to stress equal, non-exploitative relations between the subjects of the Soviet federation. At the same time, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus had a special position in the Soviet family of the fifteen republics. Indeed, in their case “sisterhood” was not just a thin metaphor for a community in principle open to any nation and based on shared communist ideology, but a thick metaphor for the “blood ties” of the three East Slavic nations.

Three Sisters (Belarus, Ukraine, Russia)

We are closer and dearer than anyone.
We are together for centuries.
For many years
We have a mutual love.
Vladimir – Red Sun
once baptized all of us,
Drop by drop, grain by grain
Lord united us all.
Three sisters – Belarus, Ukraine and Russia –
Three stars, three flowers, three tears, three fires, three countries.
Our love and friendship finds its strength,
Not afraid of anyone, nothing, no trouble, no war.
Heroes of Kiev, Minsk, Moscow –
Epiphany, Easter, Intercession
People’s hearts are full of goodness.
We saved the world from fascism,
We fought against the Golden Horde
We are all children of the same land,
With such a similar fate.
Three sisters – Belarus, Ukraine and Russia –
Three stars, three flowers, three tears, three fires, three countries.
Our love and friendship finds its strength,
Not afraid of anyone, nothing, no trouble, no war.
We never quarreled,
We will never be separated,
Native people, friend and brother.
Days pass and years,
kings and chiefs will pass,
And we are forever family!
Three sisters – Belarus, Ukraine and Russia –
Three stars, three flowers, three tears, three fires, three countries.

Poem by Anatoly Korzh

Three Slavic sisters