Caucasus and Russia

Question 1

What is Caucasus?

Answer 1

is a region at the border of Europe and Asia situated between the Black and Caspian seas

Question 2

Why is Ukraine so important for Russia?

Answer 2

It is crucial for Russia’s sphere of influence

-There is lot of historical, ethnic, linguistic and cultural ties

Question 3

What is Putin determined to do?

Answer 3

Stop Ukraine from joining NATO

Question 4

How much natural gas does Ukraine export to Europe?

Answer 4

80% of Russian natural gas

Question 5

What is Crimea?

Answer 5

Ukrainian territory which is annexed by Russia in march 2014

Question 6

Why is Crimea important?

Answer 6

Huge geostrategic importance. In 1783 it became a part of the Russian empire. Became an autonomous Russian republic within Russia’s soviet union in 1917. But in 1954 it became Russian Ukraine’s republic.

Question 7

What is the Orange revolution?

Answer 7

A series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004- January 2005. It started in the immediate aftermath of the election.

Question 8

Who is Viktor Yuschenko?

Answer 8

Pro-Europe: was in the election in 2005, initially lost

Question 9

Who is Viktor Yanukovych?

Answer 9

Pro-Russia: was in the election in 2005, won the election, people believed he won due to fraud and voter intimidation

Question 10

Who is Alexey Miller?

Answer 10

One of putin’s closest partners
In 2001, Putin picked him to become Deputy Chairman of the Board/CEO of Gazprom
70th most powerful person in the world

Question 11

What is Gazprom?

Answer 11

Russias largest company

-The worlds biggest natural gas producer

Question 12

How many employees does Gazprom have?

Answer 12

390,000

Question 13

How much does Gazprom profit?

Answer 13

$45 million

Question 14

What is Gazprom famous for?

Answer 14

Corruption, and ruthless practices such as turning off Ukraine’s natural gas supply in 2006-9

Question 15

The 2010 Presidential election in 2010

Answer 15

Between Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor Yanukovych

Question 16

Who won the election in Ukraine, 2010?

Answer 16

Yanukovych won

Question 17

What is Euromaidan?

Answer 17

A wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, it started when the Ukrainian govt suspended talks with the EU and instead choosing closer ties with Russia. The protests escalated and called for the resignation of Yanukovych.

Question 18

What happened in Ukraine on the 22nd November 2013?

Answer 18

2,000 protestors use social media to mobilise and gather at Kiev’s independence square

Question 19

What happened on the 24th November 2013?

Answer 19

200,000 protestors gather at the square; 200 injuries

Question 20

What happened on the 29th November 2013?

Answer 20

Ukraine does not sign the Association Agreement with the EU; protestors set as strategic goal the resignation of President Yanukovich and his govt

Question 21

What happened on the 22nd February 2014?

Answer 21

Yanukovich was ousted by protesters and flees Kiev and then Yatsenyuk is appointed

Question 22

What did the Ukrainian government do on the 16th January 2014?

Answer 22

The Ukrainian parliament passed anti-protest laws, curbing media, free speech and helmets. Riots escalate and spread across the country, protestors issue ultimatum for President to resign

Question 23

What happens on the 24th January 2014?

Answer 23

There are talks between Yanukovich and opposition leaders

Question 24

What did Yanukovich do on the 28th Jan 2014?

Answer 24

He resigns

Question 25

What does Russia do when Yatsenyuk is appointed PM?

Answer 25

Invade Ukraine, seize Crimean parliament building

Question 26

What happens when Crimea is annexed?

Answer 26

There is unrest in Donbass between Donetsk and Luhansk. A war between post- revolutionary Ukrainian govt and Pro Russian insurgents

Question 27

What do the US, EU and other countries and international orgs do in March 2014?

Answer 27

Sanctions

Question 28

How does Russia responds to the sanctions?

Answer 28

He implements a total ban on food imports from EU, US, Norway, Canada & Australia

Question 29

Who is Petro Poroshenko?

Answer 29

Elected president of Ukraine on 25 may 2014, five year term

• Former businessman and oligarch
• He is seen as moderate and pragmatic; wants Ukraine to integrate with the EU and NATO but also wants to restore relations with Russia

Question 30

What happened with MH17 on the 17th July 2014?

Answer 30

Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 crashes in Donetsk which is 50 km from the Ukraine and Russian border
-Western intelligence suggests the plane was shot down by Pro-Russian separatists using a Buk surface-to-air missile (provided to them by Russia)
The russian govt: blamed Ukrainian govt

Question 31

What happened with the Minsk protocol on September 5th 2014?

Answer 31

The Minsk protocol is an agreement to halt the war in the Donbess region of Ukraine. It implemented immediate ceasefire and humanitarian interventions

Question 32

What is Minsk II?

Answer 32

It is when the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany agreed to a packet of measures to alleviate the ongoing war in Donbass

Question 33

What is DPR?

Answer 33

Donetsk Peoples republic, is a self-proclaimed state in Donetsk, it receives military and humanitarian backing from Russia. The Ukrainian govt deems it a terrorist organisation and that is at war with Ukraine.

Question 34

What is LPR?

Answer 34

Luhansk People’s Republic, is a landlocked self-proclaimed state in eastern Ukraine, bordering the Russian Federation, the Donetsk People’s Republic (also self-proclaimed), and Ukraine itself. Along with the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Republic of Crimea, the Luhansk People’s Republic is one of what the Ukrainian government calls the “temporarily occupied territories”

Question 35

What is the key issue of 2015 negotiations?

Answer 35

Local elections at the DPR and LPR

Question 36

What has happened since the Minsk II agreement?

Answer 36

“Frozen conflict” with stalemate & failed ceasefires/ regular killings

Question 37

What did the greek govt do in January 2015?

Answer 37

They shifted towards a “multilateral” foreign policy- seeking loans from Russia

Question 38

The greek and Russian govts met to do what?

Answer 38

Plan for alternative mechanism of funding outside the Eurozone/IMF bailout

Question 39

What did Greek govt threaten to do?

Answer 39

Block EU sanctions

Question 40

What did the Russia govt promise the greek govt?

Answer 40

They promised favours in return after the Greek government threatened to block EU sanctions

Question 41

What is the Russian V Georgia war?

Answer 41

Georgia declared its independence in early 1991 as the Soviet Union began to fall apart. The war took place in August 2008 following a period of worsening relations between Russia and Georgia, both formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union. The fighting took place in the strategically important Transcaucasia region, which borders the Middle East. It was regarded as the first European war of the 21st century.

Question 42

Why is Georgia important for Russia?

Answer 42

Key passage for non-Russian oil and natural gas pipelines from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean/Europe
-Key to Russias sphere on influence

Question 43

What are Putins strategic aims with Georgia?

Answer 43

1. Stop Georgias accession to NATA
2. Bring down pro West Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
3. Control flow of oil and natural gas

Question 44

What happened in the Russo-georgian war?

Answer 44

Russia sent troops into South Ossetia and Abkhazia, bombed Georgia and occupied Georgian cities