A Brief History Of Ukraine (And Why Russia Wants To Control It)

In this animated video, historian Matt Lewis tells the story of Ukraine's turbulent and often surprising history. Beginning over a thousand years ago with the formation of the Kyivan Rus state, Matt tracks the development of Ukraine during the Mongol invasions, its incorporation into the Polish and Lithuanian Commonwealth, and eventually it's allegiance with the tsars of a newly formed Russia.

The ongoing crisis in relations between Russia and Ukraine is threatening to engulf eastern Europe in a war on a scale not seen since 1945. The eyes of the world are focussed on the military activity as politicians scramble to encourage a diplomatic solution that will deescalate the conflict.

Ukraine was known as the breadbasket of Soviet Russia. It remains politically, militarily, and economically important to Russia today. Precisely why there is a dispute over the sovereignty or otherwise of Ukraine is a complex question rooted in the region’s history. It is a story more than a thousand years in the making. For much of this story, Ukraine did not
exist, at least not as an independent, sovereign state, so the name Ukraine will be used to help identify the region around Kyiv that was so central to the story. The Crimea is an important part of the story too and its history forms a part of the history of the relationship between Russia and Ukraine.

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