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Russian Tsardom
In the 1600s, Russia conquered Eastern Ukraine from Polish-Lithuanian rule
Ukrainian rebels and Russia allied to defeat the ruling Polish-Lithuanian kingdom
Painting of a Russiansoldier preparing to fightwith Ukrainian rebels
First Ukrainian Revolution
Ukraine split into two countries after World War I, the Popular Republic of Ukraine and The Free Territory, an anarcho-communist government
After a civil war, the Popular Republic of Ukraine defeated The Free Territory and united Ukraine
The flag of The Free Territory
USSR
Ukraine became a state in the USSR
After an attempted revolution for independence, Stalin punished Ukraine by engineering a giant famine that killed up to 6 million people
This famine was known as the Holodomor
The Holodomor took place in Russia and Belarus too
World War II
Ukrainian Nationalists allied with the Nazis, who they saw as liberators
However, Nazi Germany destroyed this nationalist movement and captured a large portion of Ukraine
Independence
After the Soviet Union dissolved, Ukraine became an independent country
Although nationalist rebels had announced independence in 1941, Ukraine became an independent state in 1991, 50 years later
The Ukrainian State was an economic partner of Russia until recently
Viktor Yanukovych
Viktor Yankovych was the fourth president of Ukraine
He wanted Ukraine to be an economic ally of Russia and he also did not want Ukraine to join the EU
After rejecting an EU association agreement, a series of protests known as Euromaidan began
Euromaidan Begins
On 21 November 2013, nationalists who wanted to end government corruption and have Ukraine enter the EU began a series of protests called ‘Euromaidan’
These protests were originally peaceful, but protesters became violent after the police brutally put down the protests with force Euromaidan leaders
addressing a crowd
Violent Protests
Both the protesters and police used force against each other; it was very violent
Nationalists from all around Ukraine helped the protestors, and added to the growing numbers of protestors
Anti-Maidan
Pro-Russian protestors who were against Euromaidan arose and held demonstrations in Donetsk and Kharkiv, both in the more ethnically Russian eastern Ukraine
These protests were smaller than Euromaidanprotests in Kiev
Removal of the President
Police brutality had increased dramatically, with over one hundred protestors killed by police
Viktor Yanukovych stepped down from presidency in the midst of Euromaidan
This led to the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution
February 2014
In February, 2014, a large mass of riots and protests culminated in a nationwide revolution, installing a new government in Ukraine
Results
The revolution resulted in a complete reformation of the Ukrainian government
The 2004 constitution was restored
Over 50 people, including powerful government officials, were deemed responsible for police brutality during the revolution had been arrested
The “law of regional languages” was eliminated, making Ukrainian the sole language of Ukraine (although this was later vetoed by the interim president)
Results
There was a nationwide destruction of Soviet-era monuments
Racist attacks against ethnic Russians and Jews severely increased in western Ukraine
Nationalist politician Yulia Tymoshenko was released from prison. She had previously been arrested on corruption charges
Tymoshenkoin 2011
Pro-Russian Unrest in Eastern Ukraine
Eastern Ukraine did not like the new government which they saw as illegal
In their eyes, nationalists had forced out the president and installed an anti-Russian government
Crimean Revolution
Giant protests began in Crimea against the new Ukrainian government, sometimes thought of as “East Ukraine’s Euromaidan”
Many government buildings were occupied by pro-Russian protestors
Crimea is shown in black; Ukraine in green
Russian Intervention
After a new government was established in Ukraine, Russia voted to deploy troops to Crimea
There were already many Russian military bases in Crimea, as well as many Ukrainian military bases
Referendum
Nearly everyone in Crimea is of Russian heritage, with a Crimean Tartar minority
Russian troops allowed a referendum to be held asking if Crimea wanted to either become an independent country or stay with the Ukrainian government
Because the pro-Ukrainian Crimean Tartars did not attend the election, about 90% of Crimean residents voted for independence
Crimea would vote to join Russia days later
Immediate Surrender
Ukrainian soldiers agreed to leave Crimea, outside of a few isolated casualties
Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers defected to the Russian army
The city of Simferopol is the navy center of Ukraine. Many of the navy’s top officials joined the Russian army
Here is a Crimean “Self-Defense Force”A few local pro-Russian militias formed
International Reactions
The EU and United States condemned military occupation of Crimea
Russia faced many economic sanctions from the EU and USA as a result
These green countries recognize Crimea as part of Russia
The Donbass
The Donbass is a geographical region composed of two states, Lugansk and Donetsk
These two states are mostly Russian in ethnicity and did not recognize the new Ukrainian government
Donetsk is the fifth largest city in Ukraine and has literally no Ukrainian-speaking schools
This is a statue of a pole vaulter in Donetsk. He is provided in this presentationfor mild comic relief
Referendum
In April of 2014, Donetsk and Lugansk voted to form republics, independent from Ukraine
They created an alliance called “Novorossiya”
Novorossiya was a Russian state that existed in Eastern Ukraine during the late 19th century
The two countries are allied but are still separate countries
The Novorossiyan flag
Formation of a Country
Local militia groups formed, some pro-Ukraine, but the majority pro-independence
The pro-independence militias forcefully took over all government buildings and built barricades around them
Riot police block the entrance The same building is now occupied
Communism
The Novorossiyan Alliance has strong communist and socialist beliefs
Socialists from all around the world came to help found and protect the new republic
Most of Donetsk’s residents believe that they had a better life under the post-Stalin USSR, than under the Ukrainian government
Anti-Stalinist revolutionaryLeon Trotsky reads a newspaper
The Beginning
A military draft led tens of thousands of Ukrainians to fight against the newly formed NovorossiyanAlliance
Many right-wing nationalist militias also fought alongside the Ukrainian army
Novorossiyans quickly organized militias to fight the Ukrainian army
Neo-Nazi Militias
Many ultra-nationalist neo-nazi militias have organized to fight against Novorossiya
The largest of these are Svoboda and Right Sector
Many of these militias claim that they are fighting for an ethnic cleansing of Russians in Ukraine, and use videos of brutal executions to intimidate Novorossiya
Donetsk Airport
Donetsk has been a strategic point in the war
Originally it was one of the nicest airports in Ukraine but it has been completely destroyed
Ukrainian tanks have destroyed the tower in the picture
Ceasefire
Leaders of the Ukrainian Military and Pro-Russian separatists have met in Minsk, Belarus and planned ceasefires
There have been two ceasefires but both sides broke the truce leading to more warfare
Artillery Shells
Ukrainian tanks have held a siege to Donetsk city
While tanks bombard the city from miles away, Novorossiya defends itself with Soviet-era anti-aircraft missles
The majority of people killed from artillery shells are Novorossiyan civilians
Malaysian Airliner MH17
In the July, 2014, a Malaysian Airline plane was shot down and crashed in rebel territory.
The United States and Ukraine blame Russia for the attack
Novorossiya says that they do not have weapons powerful enough to destroy the plane
International observers have blamed the fact that Ukrainian planes have been hiding next to commercial airplanes, possibly showing that the rebels shot down the plane by accident
Investigationof wreckage
Socialist Volunteers
Socialists and Novorossiya sympathizers from all around the world have come to Novorossiya
Many of these volunteers are from former USSR countries Russia, Georgia and Belarus
There are also many Asian, Jewish, and African volunteers
Racial Tensions
Throughout Kiev and Western Ukraine, attacks against Jews and ethnic Russians have increased greatly
The Right Sector Party and the Azov Battalion have recruited more and more people for their mission of “ethnic cleansing”
The sign says “Jews will not live in Lyiv”
Azov Battalion
The flag of the Azov Battalion incorporates a Nazi black sun as well as a backwards “Das Reich” symbol
They also believe that Putin is Jewish…which is very bad according to them
Bombing of Mariupol
Mariupol is in the state of Donetsk and the majority reports the rebels, but they are under the control of Ukraine
Over 30 people were killed when Novorossiya threw artillery shells at the city
Mariupol is a beautiful port city
Second Battle of Donetsk Airport
After months of heavy fighting, Novorossiyacaptured all of Donetsk airport
Ukrainian Special Forces known as “cyborgs” launched a counter-offense
The battle ended with Ukrainian forces fleeing
Note that these people are not robot cyborgs but normal people
War Crimes
Both sides have used illegal bombs, like cluster bombs that are banned by the Geneva Convention
Both sides have accused each other of attempting genocide, and both sides like to count how many times their enemy breaks the ceasefire and report this number to international observers
Death Toll
Over 6 000 people have died in the Donbass War
Some sources estimate that the death toll could be up to 10 000
This conflict is the deadliest conflict in Europe this century!
Future
Both Russia, and the NATO have threatened military intervention
Volunteers continue to arrive and fight for both sides
A new ceasefire has taken hold but it is very hard to enforce
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