Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1497523
new historical concepts. Russia, portraying itself as an empire, will always be driven to recover this key area (from the Russian point of view). For that reason, Russia is jealous of any attempts made to establish state tradition, based around the very same Kievan Rus' heritage, as it questions Russia's monopoly of being a core nation of the whole Eastern Europe. The „one empire, one faith, one emperor" concept dating back to the times of the Roman empire, and applied by Russia, would no longer be valid, as more than one emperor remains on the stage. Co- existence of independent Ukraine, establishing a national identity of its own, alongside Russia, in its current shape, remains impossible. One or the other must change, for the co-existence to be possible in the longer run. The Russians may be inclined to be degrading towards Ukraine as a state, and Ukrainians, as a nation. Everything above is aimed at proving to the world, and the Russians themselves, that the Ukrainians have no significance. All of that may be done to boost their self-worth and ensure that Russia is still the dominating party in that arena. Let me note that all matters that I have described above have no reference to the historical truth and righteousness whatsoever. The conversation here covers solely the historical myths shaping the views of the Eastern European nations, the views those nations have on one another, and other nations today, and influencing their relations. H I S T O R I C A L R I G H T S A N D U K R A I N I A N SOIL That matter is derived from matter no. 1. If Ukraine is a lost and recaptured, yet key part of the Russian state, another generation of Russians would accept another attempt made at recapturing this soil as an important goal that requires sacrifice. The aforesaid „core nation" concept is also important here. Why is it natural for the Russians to consider Donbas as their property? The Russians view Russia as the state that created the industrial background of Donbas. Why should the southern part of Ukraine belong to Russia? Because Russian historical mythology refers to that area as a no man's land. Wild fields, that only Russia was able to conquer, populate, and ANALYSIS