Putin’s Crimea Speech, 18th March 2014
Journal: BIROn (Birkbeck, University of London)
Year: 2015

President Putin’s Crimea Speech of 18th March 2014 represents a pivotal moment in the development of the post-Soviet world. Marking the annexation of Crimea by Russia, the speech, whilst containing elements familiar from Putin’s discourse in recent years, simultaneously changed fundamental assumptions about Russia’s place in the world order. Analysed from the perspective of political narrative, Putin’s speech shows marked differences from the standard narrative employed since he came to power in