Battleground Ukraine

The first major English-language history of Ukraine from its emergence after the demise of the Soviet Union through the current Russian invasion In 1991, after seventy years of imperial Soviet rule, Ukraine became an independent country. Since 2022, it has been fighting an existential war against an unprovoked, brutal, and ongoing invasion by Russia. At the center of its resistance is the resilience of a united people. Ukraine expert Adrian Karatnycky provides an eyewitness account of the history of the modern Ukrainian state and of the nation through the tenures of the six presidents who have led Ukraine since the collapse of the USSR, including Volodymyr Zelensky. Karatnycky shows how--despite the influence of corrupt oligarchs, pressures from Russia, and the legacies of Soviet rule--an inclusive and united Ukrainian nation has emerged that inspires the world as it defends the principle that states and peoples have the right to their national sovereignty.

The first major English-language history of Ukraine from its emergence after the demise of the Soviet Union through the current Russian invasion In 1991, after seventy years of imperial Soviet rule, Ukraine became an independent country. Since 2022, it has been fighting an existential war against an unprovoked, brutal, and ongoing invasion by Russia. At the center of its resistance is the resilience of a united people. Ukraine expert Adrian Karatnycky provides an eyewitness account of the history of the modern Ukrainian state and of the nation through the tenures of the six presidents who have led Ukraine since the collapse of the USSR, including Volodymyr Zelensky. Karatnycky shows how—despite the influence of corrupt oligarchs, pressures from Russia, and the legacies of Soviet rule—an inclusive and united Ukrainian nation has emerged that inspires the world as it defends the principle that states and peoples have the right to their national sovereignty.

A vivid and intimate account of the Ukrainian Revolution, the rare moment when the political became the existential What is worth dying for? While the world watched the uprising on the Maidan as an episode in geopolitics, those in Ukraine during the extraordinary winter of 2013–14 lived the revolution as an existential transformation: the blurring of night and day, the loss of a sense of time, the sudden disappearance of fear, the imperative to make choices. In this lyrical and intimate book, Marci Shore evokes the human face of the Ukrainian Revolution. Grounded in the true stories of activists and soldiers, parents and children, Shore’s book blends a narrative of suspenseful choices with a historian’s reflections on what revolution is and what it means. She gently sets her portraits of individual revolutionaries against the past as they understand it—and the future as they hope to make it. In so doing, she provides a lesson about human solidarity in a world, our world, where the boundary between reality and fiction is ever more effaced.

Ukraine has surprised many international observers. Few anticipated its declaration of independence in 1991 or its determination to move out of Russia's shadow. Dyczok redresses the continuing dearth of information on the country. Aimed at nonspecialists and specialists alike, it presents an overview of the main government policies, and the social and cultural issues facing the new state. These are placed within their historical, regional and global framework. In contrast with the generally bleak picture that international media reports present, the book suggests that Ukraine has actually accomplished a great deal in a short time. In seven years, from 1991 to 1998, Ukraine went from being a little-known nation within a non-democratic state to an internationally recognized independent country. During this period of change, it contributed to the geopolitical shift which occurred with the implosion of the Soviet Union. As such, it may be argued, Ukraine has a role to play in the search for the new international order.

A definitive contemporary political, economic, and cultural history from a leading international expert, this is the first single-volume work to survey and analyze Soviet and post-Soviet Ukrainian history since 1953 as the basis for understanding the nation today. Ukraine dominated international headlines as the Euromaidan protests engulfed Ukraine in 2013–2014 and Russia invaded the Crimea and the Donbas, igniting a new Cold War. Written from an insider's perspective by the leading expert on Ukraine, this book analyzes key domestic and external developments and provides an understanding as to why the nation's future is central to European security. In contrast with traditional books that survey a millennium of Ukrainian history, author Taras Kuzio provides a contemporary perspective that integrates the late Soviet and post-Soviet eras. The book begins in 1953 when Soviet leader Joseph Stalin died during the Cold War and carries the story to the present day, showing the roots of a complicated transition from communism and the weight of history on its relations with Russia. It then goes on to examine in depth key aspects of Soviet and post-Soviet Ukrainian politics; the drive to independence, Orange Revolution, and Euromaidan protests; national identity; regionalism and separatism; economics; oligarchs; rule of law and corruption; and foreign and military policies. Moving away from a traditional dichotomy of "good pro-Western" and "bad pro-Russian" politicians, this volume presents an original framework for understanding Ukraine's history as a series of historic cycles that represent a competition between mutually exclusive and multiple identities. Regionally diverse contemporary Ukraine is an outgrowth of multiple historical Austrian-Hungarian, Polish, Russian, and especially Soviet legacies, and the book succinctly integrates these influences with post-Soviet Ukraine, determining the manner in which political and business elites and everyday Ukrainians think, act, operate, and relate to the outside world.

The book sets out to explore the economic motivations of imperial expansion under capitalism. This undoubtedly is related to two fundamental research questions in economic sciences. First, what factors explain the divergence in living standards across countries under the capitalist economic system? Second, what ensures internal and external stability of the capitalist economic system? The book adopts a unified approach to address these questions. Using the standard growth model it shows that improvements in living standards are dependent on access to raw materials, labour, capital, technology, and perhaps most importantly 'economies of scale'. Empires ensure scale economy through guaranteed access to markets and raw materials. The stability of the system depends on growth and distribution and it is not possible to have one without the other. However, the quest for growth and imperial expansion implies that one empire invariably comes into conflict with another. This is perhaps the most unstable and potentially dangerous characteristic of the capitalist system. Using extensive historical accounts the book shows that this inherent tension can be best managed by acknowledging mutual spheres of influence within the international system along the lines of the 1815 Vienna Congress. This timely publication addresses not only students and scholars of economics, geography, political science, and history, but also general readers interested in a better understanding of economic development, international relations, and the history of global capitalism.

In the tumultuous landscape of international relations, few events have left an indelible mark on the course of history as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This watershed moment unfolded in the 21st century, reshaping geopolitical dynamics and triggering a chain of events that reverberated across the global stage. The 21st century dawned with a promise of progress and unity, yet beneath the surface, geopolitical tensions simmered, and power dynamics were shifting. As the world grappled with the challenges of a rapidly changing political landscape, the clash between Russia and Ukraine emerged as a defining chapter in the unfolding narrative of international relations. The seeds of this conflict were sown in the complex tapestry of historical, cultural, and political ties that bound Russia and Ukraine. Both nations shared a tangled history, shaped by periods of cooperation and contention. The 21st-century invasion, however, would expose the fault lines that had long existed beneath the surface, threatening to fracture the delicate balance that had been maintained for decades. The stage was set in the early years of the 21st century when Russia, under the leadership of a resolute and assertive government, began flexing its geopolitical muscles. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 served as an ominous precursor to the larger conflict that would unfold in the years to come. The strategic importance of Crimea, with its historical ties to Russia and access to vital naval bases, provided a glimpse into the motivations driving Moscow's actions. The invasion itself unfolded with a speed and intensity that caught the international community off guard. In the early stages, the world watched in shock and disbelief as Russian forces surged across the Ukrainian border, triggering a cascade of events that would shape the course of the conflict. The 21st-century tools of warfare-cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and hybrid tactics-added a layer of complexity to the traditional military maneuvers, blurring the lines between conventional and unconventional warfare. The geopolitical fallout was swift and far-reaching. The international community, already grappling with a myriad of challenges, found itself at a crossroads. Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict were met with skepticism and mistrust, as the world witnessed the erosion of established norms and the rise of a new era of geopolitical assertiveness. As the conflict unfolded, the human cost became increasingly evident. Cities and towns became battlegrounds, and the civilian population bore the brunt of the violence. The images of displaced families, shattered infrastructure, and the human toll of war brought a stark reality to the forefront-a reality that demanded global attention and action. The conflict also exposed the deep-seated divisions within the international community. While some nations rallied in support of Ukraine, others remained cautious or openly aligned with Russia. The United Nations became a forum for impassioned debates, reflecting the divergent perspectives and interests at play. In the aftermath of the invasion, the geopolitical landscape underwent a seismic shift. The scars left by the conflict served as a stark reminder of the fragility of peace and the challenges inherent in navigating the complex web of international relations. The book "Russia's Invasion of Ukraine" delves into the intricacies of this defining moment in history, offering a nuanced and comprehensive exploration of the events that unfolded in the 21st century. Through meticulous research and a keen understanding of the geopolitical forces at play, the narrative weaves together the threads of history, politics, and human experience, providing readers with a captivating and insightful journey into one of the most significant conflicts of our time.