Modern Ukraine In Search Of National Identity

Although it is not official, the most notable and widespread interpretation of “Ukraine” is “Borderland” which is indicative of the country’s long history as well as it’s contemporary conflicts that exist to this day. Over the past century the country of Ukraine has been embroiled of periods of extreme poverty and near constant civil-wars until before their part in creating the USSR and after the dissolution of the USSR. It was that annexation and subsequent period of Independence that fuels the identity crisis of Ukrainian citizens into current battles to become part of Putin’s Russian Regime or become more closely tied with the European Union. Not only will this paper examine the history of Ukraine’s fluctuating independence but why the nation's identity crisis lead to the subsequent civil unrest that exists to this day.

The current conflict that is happening in Ukraine is the fight for the country's national identity of its citizens and what countries of the world they want to be associated with. The county is currently torn between the east and west with the eastern part of the country being ethnically Ukraine and the west considering themselves ethnically Russian; both sides speak Ukrainian and Russian in their respective territories which plays into the country’s history of identity crisis. Although both sides identify with the European Union and the Russian Federation respectively neither want to be fully assimilated with either, simply wanting closer ties with their respective countries. Not only do pro-Ukrainian citizens want to move away from Russia for reasons of remaining independent, but also have a long history of Russia's mistreatment of Ukrainian people beginning with a period of mass man-made starvation called “Holodomor”. During the 1930’s under Stalin’s rule, Ukraine underwent a period of “russification” which included relocating all Ukraine’s wealthy private land owning farmers into government run farms to produce enough grain for the city as well as maintain exports. When farmers refused Stalin had employed secret police as well as other government forces to forcibly remove them from their homes. According to holodomorct.org a website detailing “Holodomor” in 1930 “1.5 million Ukrainians fall victim to Stalin's 'dekulakization' policies… armed dekulakization brigades forcibly confiscate land, livestock and other property, and evict entire families. Close to half a million individuals in Ukraine are dragged from their homes”.

With grain production being solely controlled by the government, Stalin maintained export rates of grain while confiscating any found on citizens that was more than necessary and eventually all grain and food period. It is estimated that between 6 and 8 million people died of starvation with over 4 to 5 million being Ukrainian peasants. Many resources speculate that this man made starvation was an intentional plot by Stalin to reduce the Ukrainian population which is corroborated by the vast lengths the Russian government went to keep any information of the famine to the world. With most governments who were large enough to possibly combat the issue when they became well aware of it, almost all of them decided to keep trade lines open and denied any assistance to Ukrainians. Aside from some fighting against Russian and German soldiers Ukraine remained under the Russian federation rule until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 when it became an independent state. The period of time that follows Ukraine is a longer period of Independence where they become part of the European sphere of influence co existing between the Russian federation and the European Union. Although operating under harsh economic times Ukraine enjoyed relatively little civil conflict until 2013 which sparked the current conflict for Ukraine’s Identity today. Protests in “Independence square” in Kiev began on November 21st 2013 due to the then Russian president Viktor Yanukovych signing an association agreement with Russia as opposed to the Eurasian Economic Union. Protest quickly began widespread to the point of eventually forcing Viktor Yanukovych and others to flee the country while the protesters installed a more European friendly government. Eventually this lead to one of the major conflicts that sparked pro-Russian protests within areas of Ukraine; Russia's annexation of the Ukraine owned Crimea.

On February 27th, 2014 Russian troops and artillery moved in on Crimea soil and eventually took control of the parliament and over enough time installed a fully pro-Russian government. Despite many international governments and the U.N condemning the action the Russian Federation argued they had not annexed Crimea and were operating under a principle of self-determination of peoples and in 2015 Crimean leaders had declared it fully integrated with Russia. Currently there is infighting in the country still between pro-European groups and pro-Russian groups; despite various cease fires groups continue to harass and sometimes kill civilians of either side. Many of the pro-Russian federation supports are thought to be backed by Putin's regime specifically to cause disruption within the area and are paid off to fight pro-European protesters. This fight for citizens deciding what power they want to be aligned with is remnant of political geography in a country deciding what is fair to divide up parts of itself and who they are owned by. Crimea specifically is a very debatable topic because it was under control of the Russian federation until it became part of the Ukraine during World War II. With two distinct groups of supports in the Ukraine both have a valid argument when it comes to which country they would rather place their geographical history with. The idea of “Ethnic Nationalism” comes into play in a large part as well. One of the most substantial feelings supports have is what language their side speaks with pro-Russians speaking Russian and pro-Ukrainians speaking Ukrainian respectively. The national language was changed to Ukrainian in 1930 which pro-Ukrainians use as validation for remaining independent of the Russian Federation.

The country of Ukraine has had a long history of Russian rule from centuries ago to the most recent 1900’s where they didn’t achieve long standing independence until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Eventually this short lived Independence came to a head in an important decision in 2013 when the then president Viktor Yanukovych sided with Russia over the European Union dividing the country. The political geography of aeras like Crimea and the Ethnic nationalism that the pro-European and pro-Russian supporters felt for their language and traditions all fueled an almost all out civil war with both sides being provided arms from larger governments. It would seem the lack of Ukraine's conconceus of a national Identity are leaving both groups no choice but to decide where their countries allegiance falls with violence. Despite multiple cease fire’s not having much effect perhaps the citizens of Ukraine will be able to carve out their own national identity and culture with their independence over time.

Works Cited

1. “Holodomor Facts and History:” Ukrainian 'Holodomor' (Man-Made Famine) Facts and History, www.holodomorct.org/history.html.
2. “The Ukrainian Revolution in International Context.” Ukraine after the Euromaidan, doi:10.3726/978-3-0351-0798-2/18.
3. Stout, David. 'Civil War Hangs Heavy Over Ukraine During Its Independence Day Celebrations.' Time.Com (August 25, 2014): 1. Military & Government Collection, EBSCOhost (accessed February 9, 2018).