The trident on a blue shield is a symbol of Ukrainians since the liberation struggle of the 20th century.
On February 19, Ukraine celebrates National Coat of Arms Day. It was on this day in 1992 that the Verkhovna Rada approved the State Coat of Arms of independent Ukraine by its resolution.
It became a golden trident on a blue shield – a symbol of Ukrainians since the liberation struggles of the 20th century. It has the status of a small coat of arms and is the main element of the future large coat of arms.
Read also: The Council voted in the first reading for the large State Coat of Arms of Ukraine
The Small State Coat of Arms is one of the symbols of Ukraine, along with Constitution, flag and anthem. His image is placed on the seals of state authorities and state administration, money signs, service certificates, and forms of state institutions.
As the Institute of National Memory notes, the history of the Trident is thousands of years old. In ancient times, it was the sign of the princely family of the Rurikovichs – the rulers of Russia. During the time of the Ukrainian People's Republic, it was approved as the state coat of arms of Ukraine, which emphasized the continuity with previous periods of our country's history.
In the 20th century, the Trident became a symbol of the struggle of Ukrainians for independence. The Soviet totalitarian system branded it as a “nationalist symbol”, the use of the Trident was prohibited, the “culprits” were severely punished.
By choosing the Trident as a small coat of arms after the declaration of Independence, Ukraine demonstrated the inheritance of the traditions of the Ukrainian People's Republic.
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Russian aggression in Crimea began with the destruction of the Trident as a marker of Ukrainian identity. During the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian coat of arms plays an important role as a symbol of resilience, heroism, and the desire for independence demonstrated by the entire Ukrainian people.
