Violence and power in Ukraine and Russia: how geography, history, and identity define the conflict

Abstract

Russia's actions against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 are intricately linked to Russian (triune) identity, historical and narratives, as well as to its rejection of Ukrainian sovereignty and borders. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russian state actors and population believed the country remained a great power, like its main rival, the U.S.A., due to its intrinsic quality within the Russian national identity. Without great power status, Russia cannot legitimate its existence or actions domestically and internationally. The domination of Ukraine is required by Russia’s view of its ethnic identity and international status. The loss of Ukraine to Western powers like the U.S. illustrates a fissure within the Russian identity and state. By looking at the actions and rhetoric of Russian institutions and elites, we can see the war against Ukraine as rooted in the great power narratives, ontological security, as well as imperial irredentist claims. Keywords: history, geography, political science, Ukraine, Russia, conflict, identity.