Ukraine

History
  • The Mongols preferred Moscow over Kiev, despite Kiev being potentially better due to large amounts of agriculture
  • Moscow is chosen by the Mongols due to the larger tributes given by the Muscovites
  • The Crimea is extremely important to the Russians, but Ukraine is completely different than Russia
  • The Ukrainians do not think they are Russian, they do not speak the Russian language, they speak Ukrainian
  • The Tartars are Turkish people that lived in Crimea, but were kicked out by the Russians
  • Western Ukraine is completely independent of Russia, but East Russian

WWI
  • Western Ukraine v Eastern Ukraine
    • West: Part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
    • East: Part of the Russian Empire
  • Had a lot of resources including massive Agricultural production, Iron and Coal
  • The Conflict was between Hapsburg Empire and the Russian Empire, both of which ruled over the same areas of Ukraine
  • Russia thought of Ukraine as it's little brother, but Ukraine wanted to be Independant
  • The Cultural Divide:
    • The Russians went to war against the central powers
    • The Austrian-Hungarian Government financed an Anti-Russian political force in Russia
  • After the Collapse of the Central Powers
    • The Socialists and Nationalists established the Ukrainian Democratic Republic
    • The Red Army takes Ukraine, but the UDR is re-established again
    • This sets the stage for Russia to take over Ukraine again, and to be taken over again,
  • Ukraine is denied independence until the Collapse of the Soviet Union.

WWII
  • New Economic Policy ( NEP ): Changes War Communism policy so that the peasants can now keep a small portion of what is grown, and then another small portion they can sell
  • Stalin revokes the NEP
  • In 1929 over 5,000 scholars died due to Stalin starting the Purges
  • Stalin takes away the people's food in Ukraine, letting them starve
  • Stalin closes the borders to Ukraine turning it into concentration camps
  • Hitler's Invasion:
    • Initially the Ukrainians supported the Nazis as liberators, but they soon changed their minds as they were put into the German labor camps
  • Khrushchev gives the Crimea away to Ukraine
    • He believed that giving Crimea to Ukraine would win him the loyalty of Ukraine's politicians
    • He claimed that it was a gift to celebrate the 300th year merge with the Russians
  • The Collapse of the Soviet Union
    • Baltic States prevented from leaving the Soviet Union, and so Gorbachev only set an embargo
    • That sparked Ukraine from demanding Independence.
    • Hardline Communists organize a coup' d'etat and remove Gorbachev

Orange Revolution
  • Shock Therapy
    • Eastern Europe is successful in returning to a good state after the collapse of the union.
    • Ukraine is looking to the EU and Russia
    • They are split, and don't know what to do
    • They wanted to side with EU, but the President backed out last minute
    • Sparked the Euromaidan movement
  • Russia refused to accept Ukraine as an independent country
  • In an attempt to reform the Ukrainian economy the IMF pledged loans worth 18 billion
  • Causes:
    • Corruption by Viktor Yanukovych
    • Police Brutality during Protests
    • EU-Ukraine Trade Pact is ignored and trade is started with Russia
    • Massive Economic Problems.