med ▁the ▁historic ▁and ▁eth nic ▁t ies ▁between ▁Poland ▁and ▁Ukraine , ▁containing ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁" the ▁eth nic ▁and ▁cultural ▁kin ship ▁of ▁the ▁Polish ▁and ▁Ukrain ian ▁pe op les ". ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁" Dec laration ▁of ▁rights ▁of ▁national ities ▁of ▁Ukraine " ▁( appro ved ▁November ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 1 ) ▁Pol es , ▁as ▁minor ities , ▁were ▁guaranteed ▁political , ▁economic , ▁social , ▁and ▁cultural ▁rights . ▁ ▁The ▁Polish ▁minor ity ▁in ▁Ukraine ▁were ▁and ▁have ▁been ▁active ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁Ukrain ian ▁independence ; ▁they ▁supported ▁Vik tor ▁Y ush chen ko ▁over ▁Vik tor ▁Yan uk ov ych ▁virt ually ▁as ▁a ▁b loc ▁in ▁the ▁disput ed ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁election . ▁ ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁Pol es ▁in ▁Ukraine ▁decl ined ▁after ▁Ukraine ' s ▁independence , ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁ 1 4 4 , 1 3 0 ▁counted ▁in ▁the ▁census ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Most ▁Pol es ▁who ▁remained ▁in ▁Ukraine ▁were ▁and ▁are ▁concentr ated ▁in ▁Zh yt om yr ▁O blast ▁( about ▁ 4 9 , 0 0 0 ), ▁K hm el ny t sky i ▁O blast ▁( about ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ), ▁and ▁L viv ▁O blast ▁( about ▁ 1 9 , 0 0 0 ). ▁However , ▁the ▁official ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁census ▁numbers ▁are ▁highly ▁controvers ial ▁and