Ukraine was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, specifically the western territories known as Galicia, Carpathia, and Northern Bukovina, which are now part of modern Ukraine's western oblasts including Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, and Zakarpattia.13
During World War I, the region of Western Ukraine was a battleground between the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires. The Russian army successfully captured the lowland territory of Galicia, pushing the Austrians back to the Carpathian ridge.24
After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, these territories became part of the newly formed Ukrainian National Republic.