RUSSIA’S INVASION OF

UKRAINE

A SHORT HISTORY
FOLLOWED BY CLASS DISCUSSION
& WHAT IT MEANS FOR US
 WHERE IS UKRAINE, AND WHERE IS RUSSIA?

Yes, this whole area is

Russia, it is HUGE!
Much of it is uninhabitable though

Ukraine

Crimea
(annexed by Russia in
2014)
UKRAINE AND RUSSIA’S COMPLICATED PAST
1709 – Battle of Poltava

Much of present-day Ukraine

became part of the Russian empire.
Ukrainian leaders were exiled and
the Crimea was annexed in 1783.
Russianification and the
suppression of Ukraine language
begins.

Painting by Charles Simono

(1724)
UKRAINE AND RUSSIA’S COMPLICATED PAST
By 1914 – Ukrainian nationalism gathers momentum

With WWI
(1914-1918) and the Russian
Civil War (1917), Ukrainian
nationalistic feelings gathered.
They entered USSR as a distinct
Soviet Republic

Postcard published by the Ukrainian

Brigade,
"United Ukrainians defend against
both Polish and Russian forces", 1920
UKRAINE AND RUSSIA’S COMPLICATED PAST
Under Stalin’s Russia – Bloody control

The Great Famine 1932-1933 (

man-made)

Ukraine was most affected –

Stalin seized grain from
peasants in the name of
‘collectivisation’ for the state.

Historians argue wanted to

starve and punish the
Ukrainians into submission
UKRAINE AND RUSSIA’S COMPLICATED PAST
Forced resettlement of Ukrainians

Stalin forcibly relocated ethnic

Tartars from Crimea, and
repopulated Ukraine with
ethnic Russians

In a bid to make Ukraine more

“Russian”
UKRAINE AND RUSSIA’S COMPLICATED PAST
Ukraine during WWII

Another bloody period for the

state – with Nazi occupation
and recaptured by the Red
Army.

7 million Ukrainians killed,

half of national wealth lost.

Battle of Kiev, 1941

UKRAINE AND RUSSIA’S COMPLICATED PAST
Ukraine during the Cold War

1986 – Chernobyl disaster fuelled

anti Soviet feelings
 UKRAINE AND RUSSIA’S COMPLICATED PAST
Ukraine gained independence when the Soviet Union fell in 1991
In the referendum, over 90% opted for
independence.

At this time, Ukraine was the 3rd largest

producer of nuclear energy.

Kyiv made the decision to completely

denuclearise. In exchange, the US, UK
and Russia would guarantee Ukraine’s
security. In 1996, Ukraine handed over its
nuclear weapons to the Russians, in
exchange for a guarantee of the integrity
of its borders.
UKRAINE AND RUSSIA’S COMPLICATED PAST
2014 – Russia annexes Crimea
A referendum was held for the people to
choose:
1. Join Russia,
2. Restore Crimea’s 1992 constitution,
which would have entailed significantly
greater autonomy from Kyiv.
No option for Crimea to remain part of
Ukraine.
The referendum produced a Soviet-style
result: 97 percent allegedly voted to join
Russia with a turnout of 83 percent. 
WHAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY DOING TO STAND UP
AGAINST RUSSIA’S AGGRESSIVE
BEHAVIOUR?
1. US, UK and many European allied states have provided
military aid to Ukraine
2. US has reiterated that no US troops will fight in Ukraine
3. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) has mobilised
troops to states around Ukraine, and pledged to continue
economic sanctions on Russia. But it too, has made it clear
that it will not deploy troops to Ukraine
 WHY DO YOU
THINK HE
POSTED THIS
VIDEOS?
President Zelensky’s video message to his people,
27 Feb
President Zelensky’s video message to his people,
26 Feb
WHAT HISTORICAL PARALLELS DO YOU SEE
WITH WHAT WE HAVE LEARNT SO FAR IN
HISTORY?
Also, how
effective would
economic
sanctions be?

Would NATO be
able to achieve its
aims?
WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FOR SINGAPORE?
HOW YOU CAN HELP
STAY INFORMED

DO NOT SPREAD MISINFORMATION