Russia and Ukraine: A Historical Analysis of the Eastern Conflict

Anonymous

Over the last few years, we have read about Russia and Ukraine’s conflict escalating several times and it has now, to our surprise and despair, exploded. After Putin’s attack on Ukraine, we are left wondering what exactly prompted him to invade his neighbor.

While reducing the answer to simple economic self-interest seems straightforward, this fundamental question is more complex and rooted in the depths of history. We often read about Putin’s nostalgia for the Soviet Union and associate this with his desire to invade Ukraine in an attempt to recreate the USSR. His admiration for the Soviet past is driven by a desire to reinstate an authoritarian regime to avoid a democratization or westernization of his beloved country. Such drive is reflected in the imprisonment of opposition politician Alexey Navalny. Mr. Putin recently wrote a 5,000-word article on The Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians in which he condemned the Soviet Union’s management of Ukraine. 

In 1922, the USSR was created as a federation of equal republics according to the Bolshevik leaders’ will. Theoretically, the republics had the right to freely withdraw from the union. This, in Mr. Putin’s own words, was a “dangerous time bomb” and led to the “Ukrainization of Ukraine.” He blames today’s problems with Ukraine on former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin for fostering Ukraine nationalism and formally separating Ukraine and Russia.

Putin’s historical inspiration is, instead, the nationalist Czarist empire. His policies and views toward Ukraine’s statehood and sovereignty resemble those of the Russian Empire. Following the wars with the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century, Russia “incorporated” Crimea, becoming “New Russia.” This is undoubtedly what led to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, a wish to revive Russia’s international prestige and increase its standing on the global stage. As Putin wrote, “...the incorporation of the Western Russian lands into the single state […] was underlain by the common faith, shared cultural traditions and language similarity.” This led to the construction of a common cultural heritage where Mr. Putin views the divide between Russia and Ukraine as incomprehensible.

Ukraine is home to the world’s biggest ethnic Russian population outside of Russia itself. Ukrainians in the time of the Russian Empire were called “Little Russians.” Ukraine’s culture, history, religion, and traditions are closest to Russia’s which explains why the Russian state is more focused on Ukraine than any other neighboring Slavic country. In a way, Ukraine embodies the Russian ruler’s biggest historical grievances.

Ukraine’s sovereignty also presents a threat to Russia. Because of their many similarities and historical links, the Russian state feels threatened by any small step towards democracy by the Ukrainians. Following Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution, people demanded anti-corruption measures and the reversal of the authorities’ attempt to rig the 2004 election. In response, Putin created the “Russia Today” television channel, a Russian propaganda channel, fearing a similar uprising in Russia. Ukraine’s democracy presented a challenge to Putin’s authoritarian regime. Ever since the Orange Revolution, the consolidation of Ukraine into the Russian Federation has been a goal of Mr. Putin to achieve stability and repair historical grievances.

NATO played a major role in prompting Putin to invade Ukraine. As an organization originally created for collective security against the Soviet Union, Ukraine’s will to join this military alliance further alienated the Russian president. It is also a constant reminder to Russians that they are not part of the West and that the nation is not accepted in Europe. They will always be perceived as a threat to security. Not only does the North Atlantic Treaty bother Putin ideologically, it is an additional military complication. Ukraine joining NATO would mean that Western countries, such as the United States, could have a military base in Ukraine at the Russian border, threatening Russia’s activities. 

Overall, Mr. Putin fails to take into account the sovereignty and will of the Ukrainian people to remain democratic and independent. The 2022 invasion shows how fragile and sensitive the political situation was between Ukraine and Russia and that it was somewhat ignored by the rest of the world. However, the West’s response to the war, and in particular to Russia’s actions, will determine whether this conflict will escalate into a World War. The possibility is real.

Sources:

https://time.com/6140996/putin-ukraine-threats/

https://www.e-ir.info/2022/01/17/opinion-putins-obsession-with-ukraine-as-a-russian-land/

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/inside-putins-ukraine-obsession/