History is a key battleground in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
History is at the very heart of Russia’s war on Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently using historical narratives to justify the invasion. Western academia can help combat the Kremlin’s weaponization of the past by paying significantly more attention to the field of Ukrainian history.
Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began ten years ago with the seizure of Crimea, history has been a key battleground. Putin set the tone himself by framing the spring 2014 occupation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula as an act of historical justice. He then famously published a lengthy essay in the run-up to the full-scale invasion using his version of history to argue against Ukrainian statehood. When the Kremlin dictator sat down with American journalist Tucker Carlson in early 2024 for his most high-profile international interview of the entire war, it came as no surprise that he chose to begin by launching into a rambling half-hour history lecture.
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It should now be clear that the Kremlin’s attempts to distort history represent a serious threat to international security. Academia can help global audiences become less vulnerable to Russian disinformation by improving awareness of Ukraine’s national story and decoupling the country from the imperial narratives that form the basis of Putin’s claims. A recent conference at Princeton University brought together a distinguished panel of Ukrainian history experts to address the current state of Ukrainian historical studies and look ahead.
As Princeton professor and conference co-organizer Iryna Vushko noted, victims have not traditionally been viewed as particularly interesting in academic studies of history. In order overcome the obstacles inherent in histories written by the victors, it is important for academics to ensure that narratives around contemporary events make more effort to center the targets of international aggression.
During the conference, Harvard University professor of Ukrainian history Serhii Plokhy acknowledged that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is “wrapped in bad historical mythology.” According to Plokhy, Putin is clearly motivated by his personal vision of Russian history as he seeks to reassert Russian dominance over Ukraine. The Harvard historian and prominent author observed that Putin’s attempts to root his invasion firmly in the past have had the unintended consequence of generating significant interest in Ukrainian history.
Despite this unprecedented attention, Russia’s invasion has in many ways highlighted how much work must still be done. Canadian Institute for Ukrainian Studies director Natalia Khanenko-Friesen noted that there is a need to “move forward on the decolonization of our field.” She pointed to projects such as the recently launched doctorate fellowship in indigenous Crimean Tatar studies at the University of Alberta as important contributions toward this goal.
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Decolonization will only be possible when Ukraine’s history is viewed beyond the context of established imperial narratives and on its own terms, of course. Yale University professor Marci Shore, whose work has focused on the intellectual history of Eastern Europe, reflected on how she feels the study of Ukraine should need no explanation. “This is a place I came to of my own free will because it was inherently fascinating,” she commented.
Shore noted that Ukraine has been at the forefront of key European intellectual and political developments for centuries. As they confront the current Russian invasion, Ukrainians are being forced to address some of the central questions of our time, including the meaning of national identity in twenty first century Europe and the balance between democratic values and national survival in a country waging an existential war.
There was broad agreement among conference panelists that the full-scale Russian invasion had thrust Ukraine into the international limelight. Martin Schulze Wessel of Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University said Ukraine was “no longer the periphery” and had instead moved to the center of European events. He argued that Ukraine’s extensive historical experience of Russian imperialism can offer important lessons for today’s policymakers. According to Schulze Wessel, this could help demonstrate the “illusion” of believing a sustainable peace can be achieved without strengthening Ukraine to resist further Russian aggression.
Significant challenges remain. Plokhy noted that while numerous Western universities have begun creating new positions in fields such as Ukrainian language and literature, Ukrainian history studies has not yet witnessed the same kind of growth. He called for more investment in the emerging generation of young scholars and greater support for Ukrainian institutes that will be capable of continuing their important work even if public interest in the region wanes.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has exposed serious shortcomings in the international community’s awareness of the region. Putin and other Russian officials have exploited this lack of knowledge to push an unashamedly imperialistic interpretation of Ukrainian history. They have used this weaponized historical narrative to justify the largest European invasion since World War II. This underlines the need for universities to prioritize the study of Ukrainian history and center Ukrainian perspectives in conversations about the country.
Benton Coblentz is an MPA candidate at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.
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The views expressed in UkraineAlert are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.
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Image: Communal workers continue the dismantling of a Soviet monument of friendship between the Ukrainian and Russian peoples in central Kyiv. April 30, 2024. (Photo by Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto)
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