The text portrays Ukraine as a prosperous republic with fertile land, developed agriculture, and powerful industry. The author attributes its success to the leadership of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and the socialist system, emphasizing the dependence of the Ukrainian SSR on cooperation with other republics of the Union. The October Revolution is presented as the key moment that allegedly opened the way to the liberation of people and the creation of a united state of workers and peasants. The article focuses on overcoming economic and cultural backwardness, which is described as a legacy of tsarism and capitalism. The author highlights that the achievements were made possible by the creation of the USSR, focusing on the unity and peaceful interaction of the republics as key factors in addressing these problems. In addition, the uniqueness of the Soviet state is underlined, which, according to the author, provided a balance between national and international interests, making it progressive and effective in the historical context. The figure of Lenin plays a significant role in the article. His scientific works and approaches to solving the problems of oppressed people, according to the author, contributed to the unity of the population of the USSR. This idea is reinforced by the mention of the Twenty-Fourth Congress of the CPSU, at which Brezhnev articulated the importance of Leninist principles in educational and cultural policy, supporting the official ideological line and affirming the cult of personality. The national policy of the Communist Party is presented as an important tool for the elimination of illiteracy, the transition to universal secondary education, along with the growth of scientific organizations.
The author praises major industrial facilities such as Zaporizhstal, Dneproges, and the Kharkiv Tractor Plant, built during the first five-year period, which are presented as symbols of the success of the socialist economy. Considerable attention is paid to the role of other Soviet republics, whose assistance, it is argued, played a decisive role in the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war. The military theme is presented through a dramatic prism, underscoring Ukraine’s participation in the “Great Patriotic War.” It is mentioned that representatives of more than thirty-three nationalities took part in the battle for the Dnieper River, which, according to the author’s perspective, illustrates the unity of the Soviet people. The evacuation of Ukrainians to non-occupied territories is presented as an example of unprecedented assistance, with the theme of international solidarity enhanced with sentimental details such as caring for children and sharing “the last piece of bread.” The article also argues that the Soviets are a form of people’s power in which the principles of socialist democracy are most fully realized. The main wealth of the state is called “man-creator” and “man-worker”, shaped by the ideals of the Communist Party.
The final part of the paper is devoted to the Ninth Five-Year Plan in the Ukrainian SSR, its goals, and achievements. Particular attention is paid to the growth of industrial production, with expectations that by 1975 Ukraine’s output would increase threefold compared to the pre-war indicators of the entire USSR. The author mentions that the plans of the first year of the five-year plan were fulfilled ahead of schedule, also noting that the inspiration of the workers was drawn from the examples of their counterparts in Moscow, Leningrad, and Voroshilovgrad region, which stressed the idea of socialist competition.
Lyashko’s article is a valuable educational resource, especially as part of the course “(Re)thinking “Soviet”: Modern Ukrainian Identity and the Legacy of Communism.” It illustrates how Soviet propaganda shaped narratives of a unified socialist state by emphasizing the successes of the USSR, the role of collective identity, and loyalty to the CPSU leadership. This work also serves as a case study for analyzing Soviet national policy and the economic history of the USSR. In addition, the text may prove useful in the broader context of courses related to the history of the Soviet Union, Ukrainian history, political propaganda, the formation of Soviet identity, and historical memory.
The source is an issue of “Pravda Ukrainy,” a newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada, and the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR, which features an article by Oleksandr Lyashko, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR. The essay, entitled “In the Constellation of Sister Republics,” is dedicated to the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the USSR and reflects the propagandistic tone typical of Soviet journalism. The main purpose of the article is to glorify the achievements of socialism, demonstrate the unity of the republics, and strengthen loyalty to the policies of the Communist Party. The text was written in 1972, during the period that was later marked as “Stagnation,” when ideological control played a significant role in the life of society, and the rhetoric about the unity and achievements of the CPSU was central to public opinion.