 In 1988 there was a first attempt to create the "Democratic Front in support of Perestroika" in Lviv only to be dispersed by the Soviet OMON canine unit.Later he promoted several nationally oriented actions, one of them was the "Human chain" that took place on January 21, 1990 and commemorated the act of unification of the Ukrainian lands in 1919 (see Act Zluky).Chornovil ran for President of Ukraine in 1991 but was defeated, winning only in western Ukraine.