Putin's Revisionist History and the 2014 Invasion of Crimea and Donbas. Professor Eugene Finkel analyzes how, isolated during the pandemic, Vladimir Putin wrote a historical essay in 2021 based on myths, asserting that Ukraine has always been Russia and must be fully subordinated. This vision clarified his expansionist goals. The 2014 Euromaidan uprising, which deposed the pro-Russian president, convinced Putin he had to act. He seized Crimea and fostered uprisings in Donbas using Russian infiltrators. Though many locals spoke Russian, most considered themselves Ukrainians wanting independence, not Russian rule. Guest: Professor Eugene Finkel.
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