Abstract

Russia, Ukraine, and Crimea: Nationality, Sovereignty, and Perspectives

By: Reagan Roberts

Mentor: Dr. Spock, EKU Department of History

In 2014 Russia annexed the region of Crimea. At the time, Crimea belonged to Ukraine who was in the midst of its own revolution. The legality of the annexation has been debated internationally and is still the source of fighting between Ukraine and Russia. The West and Ukraine argued that the annexation was a breach of international law that demands countries respect the territorial integrity of others. In addition, the means by which Russia strategized the annexation via information warfare spawned an international effort to create stronger international legislation to minimize similar interference from happening again. The question of historical claims was also brought up when the annexation occurred, as Ukraine, Russia, and the Crimean Tatars, all had claims to the region by historical connection. Lastly, there were claims regarding nationality of the region, as Crimea is home to ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, and Crimean Tatars, who all feel that their nationality is in some way connected to the region of Crimea. In this Thesis, all of these points and perspectives are analyzed to determine the validity of each group's claim in an effort to discover not just why the annexation of Crimea is significant, but how each group has come to feel entitled to authority over the region.

Keywords and Phrases: Honors Thesis, Crimea, Annexation, Nationality, Autonomy, International Law, Historical Claims

Semester/Year of Award

Fall 12-11-2019

Mentor

Jennifer Spock

Mentor Professional Affiliation

History

Access Options

Restricted Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies

Department Name when Degree Awarded

History

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