From Indifference to Obsession: Russian Claim to Kyiv History in Travel Literature of the 18th–early 19th Century
Journal: Kyiv-Mohyla Humanities Journal
Year: 2022

In this article, I discuss a relatively recent development of Russian interest in Kyiv as a place with symbolic and historical significance for Russian history, which makes it a desirable target in an ongoing war. I trace the changing attitude of Russian travelers towards Kyiv’s history from the mid-eighteenth to the early nineteenth century. Earlier generations of visitors came to Kyiv primarily to visit holy places, with no knowledge of the city’s historical significance, and because it was a