Russian Nationalism and the Russian-Ukrainian War

This book provides an in-depth understanding of the 2014 crisis, Russia's annexation of Crimea, and Europe's de facto war between Russia and Ukraine. It highlights the sources of Russia's lack of acceptance of Ukraine as an independent country, rooted in aspects of Russian national identity. The book emphasizes the importance of understanding these factors in order to bring an end to the Russian occupation of Crimea and the broader Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 27 January 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate details of the 2014 crisis, encompassing Russia's annexation of Crimea and the de facto war between Russia and Ukraine. It offers a historical and contemporary perspective on President Vladimir Putin's unwavering obsession with Ukraine, exploring the underlying reasons behind Western criticism and sanctions, despite their apparent inability to deter Russian military aggression.

The volume provides a wealth of information regarding Russia's historical rejection of Ukraine as an independent country and the Ukrainians as a distinct people separate from Russians. Throughout the Tsarist Empire, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and since the dissolution of the latter in 1991, Russia has struggled to accept Ukraine's independence and the Ukrainian people as a separate entity.

The book highlights the sources of this lack of acceptance, particularly in aspects of Russian national identity. In the Soviet era, Russians primarily identified themselves with the USSR rather than the Russian Soviet Federative Republic. Attempts in the 1990s to forge a post-imperial Russian civic identity rooted in the newly independent Russian Federation were met with unpopularity, and notions of a larger Russian "imagined community" gained prominence.

A post-Soviet integration of Tsarist Russian great power nationalism and White Russian émigré chauvinism had already hardened Russian denial of Ukraine's existence and the Ukrainians as a people, even prior to the 2014 crises in Crimea and the Donbas.

Ending both the Russian occupation of Crimea and the broader Russian-Ukrainian conflict poses significant challenges. These challenges extend beyond the current Russian de facto President-for-life, Vladimir Putin, to how Russia perceives its national identity.

In conclusion, this book offers a profound exploration of the 2014 crisis, shedding light on Russia's complex relationship with Ukraine and its implications for regional and global stability. It provides a valuable contribution to understanding the historical, political, and cultural factors that have shaped Russia's approach to Ukraine and its neighbors.

Weight: 689g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032043173