Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has offered historical justification for his invasion of Ukraine by claiming its lands have long been part of Russia. The history of Russia and Ukraine may be intertwined, but the identity of Ukraine as a separate nation emerged over centuries, long before it became independent 30 years ago. Tanya Beckett investigates.

Contributors:
Faith Hillis, Professor of Russian History, University of Chicago
Serhii Plokhy, Professor of History, Director Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University
Margarita Balmaceda, Professor of International Relations, Seton Hall University
Sergey Radchenko, Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, visiting Professor Cardiff University

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Researcher: Chris Blake
Producer: Sheila Cook

(Photo: President Putin at the Kremlin Sept 2021 in Moscow, Russia. Credit: Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)