Evacuation of Part of the Ukrainian Government to Ivano-Frankivsk During the Invasion

In the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a portion of the Ukrainian government was forced to evacuate to Ivano-Frankivsk, which became a reserve management center. Former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba emphasized the importance of this decision in an interview with the Kурс publication, highlighting the uncertainty that prevailed at that time.

According to Kuleba, the group that evacuated from Kyiv was led by one of the deputy prime ministers. He noted that the situation was quite tense, and therefore this decision was made as a security measure. 'Everything was uncertain; this was a security measure. If the situation in Kyiv were to develop too quickly and negatively, then the legitimate government would remain in Ivano-Frankivsk. At that time, no one knew how it would all end,' Kuleba explained.

Kuleba also emphasized that although this step was necessary from a security standpoint, he was not pleased with it. 'I do not like the ideas of Ukrainian governments in exile, even if it is exile within the country. I have bad memories on this topic,' he noted, pointing to negative experiences associated with similar situations in the past.

Subsequent events showed that Kuleba was unable to return to Kyiv, as at that time the capital was under semi-siege. 'My deputies drove here [to Ivano-Frankivsk], we connected the team, and moved to Lviv. Not because I like Lviv more than Ivano-Frankivsk, but because at that moment, firstly, there were a number of evacuated foreign embassies in Lviv, and secondly, requests were starting to come in from foreign ministers of other countries who wanted to help, but were not allowed to go further than Lviv,' the former minister recounted.

Dmytro Kuleba also noted that he returned to Kyiv only after a month, while the rest of the government that remained in Ivano-Frankivsk returned a few weeks later. It is important to note that it was in Ivano-Frankivsk where the first negotiations took place with the American side regarding military assistance to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, underscoring the strategic significance of this city during the crisis.

Thus, the evacuation of part of the government to Ivano-Frankivsk became an important step in ensuring security and managing the country in the midst of the war that unfolded in Ukraine. This chapter in Ukraine's history will undoubtedly be remembered as a time when the country united in the face of threat and mobilized its resources to defend its independence.