Ukraine’s Historical Narrative of Crimea
Journal: Russian and East European Studies
Year: 2024

In 2014, Russia’s occupation of Crimea was accompanied by an extensive information campaign aimed at mitigating international condemnation. A central element of this campaign was the deployment of historical narratives claiming Crimea’s longstanding ties to or belonging to Russia. These narratives emphasized Russia’s role as the legitimate successor to Kyivan Rus and positioned Crimea as a sacred site of Christianization. Furthermore, they portrayed Crimea’s history as predominantly Russian, wit