Imperialism, supremacy + Russia/Ukraine Flashcards
(19 cards)
pre war perceptions of ukraine
weak and failed state, divided
ukraine as a divided state
large population of russian speaking ukranians, limiting russian influence risked upsetting them
how ukrainian division helped russia
reinforced russian rhetoric about ukraine not being a ‘real state’, used this to delegitimise ukraines euro atlantic aspirations
the perception of ukraine as small
russians suggested the country was so weak that no one could help it against russia, so supplying arms was pointless
how the russian perception of ukraine helped ukraine
as ukraine was solely viewed through the lens of corruption, russians believed there would be little powerful resistance to the invasion
the perception of ukraine as far right
narrative created by russia, ‘denazification rhetoric’
expectation of russia pre war
to behave like a modern power, create a sphere of influence in neighboring nations
why did russia want a sphere of influence
fear of external attack, neighbouring allies protects from invasion, russia frustrated as wasnt perceived as equal to great western powers
why did ir scholars not expect the war
russia described its relationship with ukraine as brotherly, russian public would not support war, russia forces wouldnt commit war crimes
russia, finland and nato
russia did not care about finland joining nato, rejecting the nato encirclement theory as the reason for the ukraine war
why NATO’s disrespect of russia is false
russia was a great power pre crimea annexation, highest ever gdp, 2014 winter olympics and nato offered russia forms for accepting russias self perception as a great power
ukrainian choice 2014
choice between submitting to russian influence or developing their own democracy
results of ukraine choosing to reject russian influence
may have prevented 2014 and 2022 invasions, would have meant loss of rights/autonomy
ukrainian limitaion of russian influence
banned pro russia parties and import of russian music/books
why the russian misperception of ukraine was harmful
when russians realised ukraine was not as they had been told, combined with ukrainian defiance contributed to russian brutality
previous stereotypes of ukraine
seen as lazy, slow, self interested and dependent on russia
another reason why russians disliked ukrainians
granted visa free travel to the schengen area (west/central europe) which the russians did not have, russian media suggested ukrainians would use this to become prostitutes/smugglers
why were russian soldiers so brutal
correcting mistaken ukrainians that dont respect russian superiority, primed to see ukranians as backwards and part of a failed state which was untrue
weaving of anti ukrainian rhetoric into russian culture
lots of casual jokes about war by people aswell as the media, ‘most russians cared more about a pushkin stature than a dead ukrainian child’
