The Ukraine ConflictУкраїнського конфлікту

By Harris Mowbray

Background on Ukraine-Russia Relations

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

Part One: Euromaidan

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

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

Part Two: The Crimean Crisis

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

Part Three: The Novorossiyan War

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

Part Five: Warfare

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

Total War

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

The rebels took over Donetsk Airport

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

The End

By Hárris Mowbray

Copyright 2015

This presentation was not intended to be biased

All the information and pictures are from Wikipedia-meaning that anyone (including I) can use them