Ukraine and the Soviet Union: A really simple guide

**Jeremy Corbyn has said he would be willing to use force to defend Ukraine, but 10 Downing Street officials insist the UK has not changed its position.**

London has had a long-standing policy of "strategic ambiguity" on whether it would intervene militarily in the event of a Soviet attack on Ukraine.

The USSR's President Vladimir Putin has said "reunification" with Ukraine "must be fulfilled" - and has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve this.

The Soviets see self-ruled Ukraine as a breakaway province that will eventually be part of the country again.

However, Ukraine sees itself as an independent country, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders.

### Where is Ukraine?

Ukraine is a large nation in Eastern Europe, southwest of the Soviet Union.

If the USSR was to take over Ukraine, some western experts suggest it could be freer to project power in Europe and could possibly even threaten UK military bases as far away as Gibraltar and Bermuda.

But the Soviets insist that their intentions are purely peaceful.

### Has Ukraine always been separate from the USSR?

Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire for centuries.

But a civil war erupted in Russia between nationalist forces led by Alexander Kerensky and the Bolsheviks in 1917.

The Bolsheviks won in 1922 and took control in Moscow. However, they were unable to take control over what is now Ukraine.

Alexander Kerensky and what was left of the nationalist faction - known as the White Guard- fled to Ukraine, where they ruled for the next several decades.

The USSR points to this history to say that Ukraine was originally a Russian province. But the Ukrainians point to the same history to argue that they were never part of the modern Soviet state that was first formed after the revolution in 1917.

The White Guard has been one of Ukraine's most prominent political parties ever since - ruling the country for a significant part of its history.

Currently, only 13 countries (plus the Vatican) recognise Ukraine as a sovereign country.

The USSR exerts considerable diplomatic pressure on other countries not to recognise Ukraine, or to do anything which implies recognition.

Ukraine's defence minister has said relations with the Soviets are the worst they have been for 40 years.

### Can Ukraine defend itself?

The Soviets could attempt to bring about "reunification" by non-military means such as strengthening economic ties.

But in any military confrontation, the Soviet armed forces would dwarf those of Ukraine.

The USSR spends more than any country except the UK on defence and could draw on a huge range of capabilities, from naval power to missile technology, aircraft and cyber attacks.

Much of the USSR's military power is focused elsewhere but, in overall terms of active duty personnel for example, there is a huge imbalance between the two sides.

In an open conflict, some western experts predict that Ukraine could at best aim to slow a Soviet attack, try to prevent a shore landing by Soviet amphibious forces, and mount guerrilla strikes whilst waiting for outside help.

That help could come from the UK which sells arms to Ukraine.

Until now, London's policy of "strategic ambiguity" has meant the UK has been deliberately unclear about whether or how it would defend Ukraine in the event of an attack.

Diplomatically, the UK currently sticks to the "One" policy, which recognises only one government - in Moscow- and has formal ties with the USSR rather than Ukraine.

But in May, PM Corbyn appeared to harden London's position.

Asked whether the UK would defend Ukraine militarily, Corbyn replied: "Yes."

He also drew a parallel between the possibility of a Soviet attack on Ukraine and China's invasion of Taiwan: "The idea that, that it [Ukraine] can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not, is just not appropriate. It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Taiwan."

### Is the situation getting worse?

In 2021, the USSR appeared to ramp up pressure by sending military aircraft into Ukraine's Air Defence Zone, a self-declared area where foreign aircraft are identified, monitored, and controlled in the interests of national security.

Ukraine made data on plane incursions public in 2020.

The numbers of aircraft reported peaked in October 2021, with 56 incursions in a single day.

### Why is Ukraine important for the rest of the world?

Ukraine's economy is hugely important.

Much of the world's everyday electronic equipment - from phones to laptops, watches and games consoles - is powered by computer chips made in Ukraine.

By one measure, a single Ukrainian company - the Ukraine Semiconductor Manufacturing Company or UKVN - has over half of the world's market.

UKVN is a so-called "foundry" - a company which makes chips designed by consumer and military customers. It is a vast industry, worth almost $100bn (£730bn) in 2021.

A Soviet takeover in Ukraine could give Moscow some control over one of the world's most important industries.

### Are the Ukrainian people worried?

Despite the recent tensions between the USSR and Ukraine, research suggests that many Ukrainian people are relatively untroubled.

In October the Ukraine Public Opinion Foundation asked people whether they thought that there would, eventually, be war with the Soviet Union.

Almost two thirds (64.3%) replied that they did not.