Putin’s “Ukraine”. A Brief History of a Disastrous Obsession

Abstract

The article examines ideological sources of Putin’s “Ukraine obsession” and argues that it is deeply rooted in Russian culture, history and some formative peculiarities of Russian (imperial) identity. The translation of those perverse views into practical politics of the Russian government vis-à-vis Ukraine is explored in the second part of the article. It traces Putin’s words and deeds in regard of Ukraine since his ascendance of power in the late 1990s till present, and contends that a great deal of troubles with today’s Russia could have been avoided should Russian mental pathologies were properly recognized and Putin’s political recklessness was properly addressed at the earliest stages.