Today, Ukraine launched its official verified account @Ukraine on Twitter microblogging site.
Follow us to discover fun stuff about Ukraine's culture, landmarks and history you were hesitating to ask before pic.twitter.com/jWqFO81XGg
— Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) June 2, 2016
The event immediately grabbed the attention of Twitter’s global community of users. Within the first few hours of its launch, it already had over 4000 followers, individual and institutional alike. Below is a short overview of reactions on Twitter.
@Ukraine’s first post thanked @Canada and @Poland, the two nations who first recognized Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and invited them to become followers on Twitter:
Thanks, @Canada and @Poland for being first nations to recognize our Independence in 1991! How about becoming our first followers in 2016?
— Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) June 2, 2016
To this Poland quickly replied with a happy welcome:
Let the tradition continue! ;) @Canada
— Poland.pl (@Poland) June 2, 2016
Canada and Lithuania were among the first ones to greet the newcomer and introduce it to the community. Canada invited other official country accounts to follow Ukraine’s new presence on Twitter:
Welcome to Twitter, @Ukraine! We will follow! Have you met our friends? @GreatBritain @Australia @Israel @Lithuania https://t.co/txsn25GdB7
— Canada (@Canada) June 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/Lithuania/status/738348732979290112
Here’s an astute observation from Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko that some countries do “talk” on Twitter:
Did you know that countries can chat – just like good old friends?:) @Ukraine, @Canada, @Poland pic.twitter.com/HSGtsmsosd
— Andriy Shevchenko (@AShevch) June 2, 2016
Foreign Policy magazine in the United States noted the “lovefest” as well!
There is a passionate Twitter lovefest going on between @Canada, @Ukraine, and @Poland. https://t.co/6cuEhRNmEx
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) June 2, 2016
The Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Poland to NATO welcomed the newcomer too:
.@Ukraine just joined Twitter. Welcome and good luck! #UnitedforUkraine pic.twitter.com/1LALPzJhbd
— PLinNATO (@PLinNATO) June 2, 2016
Ukrainian professional tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky with 27 thousand Twitter followers commented on Ukrainians giving a warm welcome to their country’s brand-new presence on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Stako_tennis/status/738411371642138624
The Ukrainian football / soccer Twitter account @FutbolUkraine was pleasantly surprised by the launch:
https://twitter.com/FutbolUkraine/status/738406008234639373
Allan Herrera brought in a bit of dark humor to the exchange by reminding everyone about Putin’s Crimean Anschluss and wishing that Russia does not annex the new account as they did with Crimea:
https://twitter.com/AllanMHerrera/status/738402049667141632
Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union informed their followers about the event:
Follow @Ukraine on Twitter! They just had their first tweet:
"Thanks, @Canada and @Poland for being first… https://t.co/ri5sU4OPNB
— SUSK National (@SUSKNational) June 2, 2016
Yarema Dukh called Ukraine “the youngest Twitter-nation”!
https://twitter.com/yarko/status/738321719551795200
i`m not @Canada or @Poland but i follow you! pic.twitter.com/cLRcCrVvVX
— vv (@v014nd) June 2, 2016
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