Love-hate relationship of Russia and Ukraine: A look at history

Russian attempts to control Ukraine and Kyiv’s decision to choose fight over flight are not new. A look at history tells a lot of this has happened already.

Can Russia conquer Kyiv? Even if Russia conquers Kyiv, can it keep it? Russian president Vladimir Putin knows that both the circumstances are not in Russia’s favour. To understand any terrain, one has to understand its history, geography, and temperament. History shows that Ukraine has never been a completely free country for a long time but has not allowed any invader to stay for long. A Ukrainian standing stoically in front of a Russian tank and Miss Ukraine posing with Kalashnikov rifles is not new to Kyiv. In the past, Russia has only ever won Ukraine by winning hearts and can win again only by winning hearts. Not by war. Let’s have a look at Kyiv and Moscow’s love-hate relationship.

Kyiv is called the City of Braves in Europe. It is the only city in the world where power changed hands 16 times in just three years. When the Communist Bolsheviks came to power in Russia after the First World War, Kyiv became the centre of a tussle between Europe and Russia. Even after 16 changes of power between 1919 and 1921, neither the Europe-backed Poland nor the Russian Red Army could maintain hold over Kyiv. And, in the end, the two sides broke Ukraine in two pieces via the Treaty of Rieg of 1921 and each kept a part.

The power tussle between giants destroyed Kyiv. Locals believe that the city is cursed as its splendor attracts invaders. But this was not the first time Kyiv was ruined, nor the last.

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Within 24 hours of attacking Ukraine, Russia had started dreaming of Ukraine’s surrender. Some assumed the game was over, but Kyiv’s history hinted at something else. Here, there is a tradition of giving up life for self-respect. Kyiv chose ruin over surrender. Again, not the first time.

After its golden era in the 9th and 10th century, the Keivan Empire was on decline. In 1223, Mongol ruler Genghis Khan set his eyes upon it. His grandson Batu Khan attacked Kyiv and Moscow of the Russian Principality.

Batu Khan had arrived at Kyiv gates with a mighty army, but he was so enamoured by the city’s splendor, he decided he wanted to overtake and not loot it. He waited outside the city gates between 1240 and 1242, hoping that people would surrender. But when Kyiv killed Batu Khan’s messenger who had come with a peace treaty, the Mongol declared a war and turned the city into a ghost town.