Bell Ringer: CRIMEA

• Crimea’s allegiance to Russia:

• Quick History Ukraine – Russia

• What and Where is Crimea?

• What is their connection to Russia?

CRIMEA

1700

450 BC

2013

Crimea and Russia

RUSSIAN “EXCLAVE” UKRANIAN “ENCLAVE”

CRIMEA

• Crimea votes YES for Russia

• What did Putin (Russian Prez) do when the US and EU announced sanctions on Russia?

• What do the people of Crimea think of Russia?

Video BA 3/23

1. What is the history behind the region of Crimea within the Ukraine?

2. Why was Putin and Russia compelled to occupy the Crimean peninsula?

3. What did the US and EU do in response?

4. What did Putin and the Ukraine do that may have unraveled the West’s plans for a solution?

5. What do YOU think will be the outcome?

Explain your answers in detail.

Culture of Russia and Northern Eurasia

Chapters 17-18

SSWG6

The student will describe the interaction of physical and human systems that have shaped contemporary

Europe.

f. Analyze the impact of geography on Russia in terms of population distribution, trade, and involvement in

European affairs.

g. Analyze the environmental issues associated with industrial and natural resource development in Europe,

including Russia.

Origins of PeopleRussia: • People came from Mongolia, China, & Central Asia

– Fleeing droughts and wars

• Largest group were Slavs– Slavs: People who settled Russia, Ukraine, & Belarus

• All spoke the same language (Slavic)• Eventually spread to Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia

• Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus have many similarities in language, religion, and customs

• Use Cyrillic alphabet– One of most used writing systems in the world

Cyrillic Alphabet

Origins of People continued

Central Asia:

• Turkish ethnic groups & language

• Northern region has nomads

• Nomads: people who move often from one place to another– Move herds to different pastures with

changing seasons

Nomads

Religion

• Christianity became popular before the Mongol invasion

• Main religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity– Eastern Orthodox Christianity: believe they

are the authentic & original Christian Church established by Jesus Christ & his Apostles

Religion continued

• Almost every city and village kept religion during Communism

• Increase in Islamic religion recently

Urban Life

• Russia, Ukraine, & Belarus have large cities– More than 2/3 of population live in cities

• Largest urban area is Moscow, Russia

• Countries are losing population

3 reasons for population decline

1. Emigration

2. Low birthrates

3. Poor health care due to collapse of Soviet Union

Russian Culture

Cultural Conflict in Russia• Large diversity in Russia – 60 Ethnic Groups

• Different ethnic groups cause conflict– Ethnic groups want to split from Russia or create new

countries

• Former USSR left many Russian enclaves & sour feelings for Russia– Enclave: a small, distinct area or group enclosed

within a larger one

2 recent episodes of enclave conflict:A. ChechnyaB. Crimea

Chechnya and Russian Conflict

• Wanted independence after USSR collapsed– Different culture and language than Russia

• Russia refused independence & war erupted

• Area full of rich oil fields

• First War: 7,500 Russian troops dead; 15,000 Chechen troops; 35,000 Chechen civilians– Chechnya lost war

Chechnya and Russian Conflict

• Second Chechen War: In 1999, apartment bombings in Russian cities, including Moscow – Blamed on Chechen rebels– Russians started air raids and bombings of Chechnya– Ground assault led to death of former Chechen

president and Chechen surrender

• More than 150,000 refugees have fled their homes

• Battle continues today

Ukraine

• Ukraine as a nation made its first appearance on a map after fall of U.S.S.R.

• It has been dominated by its neighbors year after year

Where in the world is the Ukraine?

Ukraine under the Ottoman Empire

It was once part of the Russian Empire

Then it became part of the U.S.S.R.

Ukraine was gone…

During its USSR “occupation”

• Millions of Ukrainians starved during 1930s

• The Holodomor was a man-made famine

• Killed up to 7.5 million

• Caused by bad politics & natural disasters

Ukraine Shift in Population

• Ukraine’s mineral deposits, natural gas, & access to the Black Sea is in Eastern Ukraine

• Many USSR ethnic Russians were encouraged to move to Eastern Ukraine to work– This changed Ukraine ethnically

• Ethnically Russians in the east, ethnically Ukraine in the west

USSR fell and 15 nations became independent

Ukraine was born in July 1990

Ukraine Nation What It Looks Like On A Map

Ukraine Population and Railroad

The Big Difference

Ukraine Joining EU

• Some in Ukraine want it to join the EU so that it can grow closer to Western Europe

• This could help their economy

• Russia does not like this

Ukraine Provinces

Crimea• The Crimea peninsula

jets out into Black Sea

• It has been an important Russian/USSR positioning for its navy

• Russia has an agreement with Ukraine to stage its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol until 2045.

• Crimea is only area that has an ethnic Russian majority

Russia’s Latest Actions

• 2014: Ukrainian president refuses to sign agreement to join the EU

• Feb. 2014: Ukraine becomes the sole state language at all levels

• Feb. 2014: pro-EU Ukrainians protest/riot president not signing agreement forcing president to flee

Protests

Violence in Kiev, Ukraine

Latest Actions continued

• Feb. 2014: Thousands of pro-Russian and pro-Ukraine clashed in Simferopol (capital of Crimea)

• March 2014: The Russian parliament granted President Putin the authority to use military force in Ukraine to protect Russians in Crimea– Sent troops to Crimea & took over Ukrainian military

bases

• March 2014: Crimean people vote to join Russia