Rusiny

Rusiny

 

(from the word “Rus’ “), a name for the Ukrainians of the Western Ukraine-Galicia (Galichina), Bucovina, and the Transcarpathian Ukraine. The name “Rusiny” was widespread during the period the Western Ukraine was under the yoke of Austria-Hungary. In the course of their historical development, the Rusiny were subject to prolonged foreign domination, were separated from one another by international boundaries, were oppressed socially and nationally, and were subject to the assimilationist policies of foreign feudal and bourgeois rulers. Because of these particular historical conditions, the language and culture of the Rusiny have a certain distinctiveness.