Key Takeaway
| ● | Russia and Ukraine are locked in a battle about what really happened in Ukraine’s history. |
| ● | Ukraine and Russia both claim to be the descendants of Kyivan Rus’. |
| ● | Ivan Mazepa tried to unite Ukraine as an independent state during the time of the Tsars—he is considered a villain by Russia, but a hero by Ukraine. |
| ● | Ukrainians remember the Holodomor as the murder of four million Ukrainians by Stalin. Russians consider it merely a seasonal famine. |
| ● | Russians remember the Second World War as the triumph of the USSR over Nazi Germany. Ukrainians are not acknowledged for their great role in the conflict. |
History becomes really interesting to oppressed and exploited people—the more deeply polarized the different readings of history, the more likely conflict will develop. Attempting to bury evil deeds defers trouble to a later date. If the can is kicked far enough down the road, though, crimes become the concern of the archaeologist, rather than the politician.
In order to understand Ukraine’s present realities, one has to understand its past realities, and specifically its relationships with Russia. The two nations will never find peace unless they can find some common ground in their contested history. In the next chapter, I will explore the granular differences that make peace so difficult.
More on the topic Key Takeaway:
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- Vaughn Marc M.. The History of Ukraine and Russia: The Tangled History That Led to Crisis. History Demystified,2022. — 164 p., 2022
- Russification
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