the last time these places were in the news was during 1943-44
as the Germans retreated.
“the last time these places were in the news was during 1943-44”
That’s because Hitler’ operation “Barbarossa” invaded the Soviet Union through Ukraine. Hitler wanted Oural and the Caucase more than anything.
The actual events in Ukraine mirror the situation in that region from the beginning to the end of WWII.
The western Ukrainians welcomed the nazis as “liberators”, and seconded the SS in the mass killings of Jews and Poles, while the eastern population fought bravely against the German occupation since the day one.
The big battles of Kharkov and Kursk sealed the fate of the war on the Eastern front; the end of the war was near.