Ukrainian Invasion: Historical claims in Putin's speech.
Before the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, gave a speech to the nation on the 21st. The first part of the speech covers a historical review of the development of Ukraine and the role of Russia in it. The article evaluates the accuracy of these historical claims.
Putin's Speech
My address concerns the events in Ukraine and why this is so important for us, for Russia. Of course, my message is also addressed to our compatriots in Ukraine.
The matter is very serious and needs to be discussed in depth.
The situation in Donbass has reached a critical, acute stage. I am speaking to you directly today not only to explain what is happening but also to inform you of the decisions being made as well as potential further steps.
I would like to emphasise again that Ukraine is not just a neighbouring country for us. It is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space. These are our comrades, those dearest to us – not only colleagues, friends and people who once served together, but also relatives, people bound by blood, by family ties.
Since time immemorial, the people living in the south-west of what has historically been Russian land have called themselves Russians and Orthodox Christians. This was the case before the 17 th century, when a portion of this territory rejoined the Russian state, and after.
It seems to us that, generally speaking, we all know these facts, that this is common knowledge. Still, it is necessary to say at least a few words about the history of this issue in order to understand what is happening today, to explain the motives behind Russia’s actions and what we aim to achieve.
So, I will start with the fact that modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia or, to be more precise, by Bolshevik, Communist Russia. This process started practically right after the 1917 revolution, and Lenin and his associates did it in a way that was extremely harsh on Russia – by separating, severing what is historically Russian land. Nobody asked the millions of people living there what they thought.
Then, both before and after the Great Patriotic War, Stalin incorporated in the USSR and transferred to Ukraine some lands that previously belonged to Poland, Romania and Hungary. In the process, he gave Poland part of what was traditionally German land as compensation, and in 1954, Khrushchev took Crimea away from Russia for some reason and also gave it to Ukraine. In effect, this is how the territory of modern Ukraine was formed.
Reason for the speech he gave at the beginning
"My address concerns the events in Ukraine and why this is so important for us, for Russia. Of course, my message is also addressed to our compatriots in Ukraine." Indicating the invasion that followed on 24 February. He justifies his decision by reminding everybody about the history of Russia and Ukraine. "I would like to emphasise again that Ukraine is not just a neighbouring country for us. It is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space."
Putin's historical claims:
"the people living in the south-west of what has historically been Russian land have called themselves Russians and Orthodox Christians. This was the case before the 17th century, when a portion of this territory rejoined the Russian state, and after."
In the 17th century, Poland dominated western Ukraine and Russia the eastern Ukraine which makes Putin's observation true. In the 18th century Poland's dominance declined and the Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, absorb eastern Ukraine into Russia. In 1783 Russia conquered Crimea"So, I will start with the fact that modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia or, to be more precise, by Bolshevik, Communist Russia."
Modern Ukraine was formed in March 1917 (after the February Revolution in Russia) with the declaration of the Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR). The republic's autonomy was recognized by the Russian Provisional Government. Following the October Revolution, it proclaimed its independence from the Russian Republic on 22 January 1918. The Russian would (after the 1921 Treaty of Riga) gain control over Ukraine again and it became the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic."This process started practically right after the 1917 revolution, and Lenin and his associates did it in a way that was extremely harsh on Russia – by separating, severing what is historically Russian land. Nobody asked the millions of people living there what they thought."
The Tsarist Empire was called a “prison house of nations”. The 1917 revolution provided an opportunity for independent states and self-governance. Lenin, who wanted to keep the Tsarist Empire intact, also understood the drive for independence. His solution, then, was to create ethnically based “republics” ruled by communists mainly from that ethnicity. The establishment of the state with a lot of conflicting groups in it results in the Ukrainian War of Independence from February 1917 until November 1922. I assume that Putin was referring to this conflict when he stated that it was "extremely harsh on Russia". Harsher on Ukraine than Russia, I would say."Stalin incorporated in the USSR and transferred to Ukraine some lands that previously belonged to Poland, Romania and Hungary. In the process, he gave Poland part of what was traditionally German land as compensation."
I assume that Putin is referring the the "Curzon Line Proposal" that was accepted after World War 2 and allocated some polish territory to Ukraine and gave Poland some German territories. It can be argued that it was Stalin who transferred these territories as he negotiated it with the other Allied nations. What Putin does not mention is the Holodomor. After resistance to collective farms, Stalin created a famine in 1932 and 1933 that cause the death of millions of Ukrainians and result in a lot of animosity towards the Russians."....in 1954, Khrushchev took Crimea away from Russia for some reason and also gave it to Ukraine."
Nikita Khrushchev came to power after the death of Joseph Stalin. To win the support of the Ukrainian leadership Kruschev decided on 25 January 1954 to give away the Crimea to Ukraine for free. No consideration was given to the Russian speaking population of Crimea and how it will affect them. Putin's historical claim is therefore also true.
My Opinion
In general Putin's historical claims can be seen as true, but also selective. He failed to mention those situations where Russia created animosity on the Ukrainian site. His statement that "Ukraine is not just a neighbouring country for us. It is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space" might not ring so true.
Sources:
Quora: https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Russia-invading-Ukraine
Putin's speech: http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67828
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_People%27s_Republic
https://localhistories.org/a-brief-history-of-ukraine/
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/blame-it-lenin-what-putin-gets-wrong-about-ukraine-200763
https://www.history.com/news/ukrainian-famine-stalin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_War_of_Independence