Stepan RudnytskyiStepan Rudnytskyi was a Ukrainian geographer born on December 3, 1877, in Peremyshl, Galicia, to a family deeply rooted in intellectual and cultural life. His father was Ivan Rudnytskyi and his mother was Maria Rudnytska. He was educated at the Univesity of Lviv, where he developed a foundation in geography that would shape his career as one of the leading Ukrainian geographic scholars of the early 20th century. He became a full member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society in 1901 and later joined the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences between 1929 and 1934. Rudnytskyi was instrumental in developing geographic thought in Ukraine, placing emphasis on the connection between land, national identity, and statehood. He authored numerous works on physical and human geography, aiming to establish Ukraine as a distinct geographic entity in academic and political discourse. A strong advocate for scientific independence, he also helped organize geography education in Ukraine. His dedication to national scholarship led to his arrest during Soviet political purges. He died in Sandarmokh, Karelia, on November 3, 1937. His legacy is remembered through his contributions to geographic science and his influence on generations of Ukrainian scholars. Read More Read Less