Ukrainian versus Pan‐Russian Identities: The Roots of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
Journal: Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism
Year: 2024

Abstract This article critically analyses commonly used descriptions of Ukrainian politics as divided between ‘nationalist’ versus ‘pro‐Russian’, and ‘ethnic’ versus ‘civic’ forces which do not adequately explain Ukrainian politics or understand the roots of Russian military aggression against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022. An alternative framework is provided of competition between Ukrainian identity, which believes Ukrainians are a distinct people different to Russians, and pan‐Russian identity, wh