What Are the Historical Origins of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict?
That’s a big question—and the short answer is: this war didn’t just start in 2022. The tension between Russia and Ukraine has been building for centuries, and if you really want to understand what’s going on today, you have to go way back in time.
It All Starts with Kievan Rus
Both Russia and Ukraine like to point to a medieval kingdom called Kievan Rus as the place where their national stories begin. This was a powerful Slavic state founded in the 9th century, with its capital in what is now Kyiv. It was here that the region first embraced Orthodox Christianity, and that religious and cultural heritage is something both countries still claim today.
But things changed after the Mongols invaded in the 1200s. Kyiv lost its power and influence, while Moscow—just a small town at the time—slowly started to rise. Over the centuries, Russia looked back at Kievan Rus and said, “That’s where we come from.” Ukrainians, of course, say the same—and that’s part of the identity struggle we see today.
Poland, Lithuania, and a Different Path
For a few hundred years, a large part of what’s now Ukraine wasn’t under Russian control at all. It was ruled by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which brought in Western European influences—especially when it came to religion and culture. Ukrainian identity started to take shape in a way that was quite different from that of the Russians to the northeast.
This period really helped Ukrainians feel like they were their own people, with their own traditions and language. It’s also when many started to feel torn between East and West—a theme that’s still playing out today.
The Cossacks and Russia’s First Inroads
In the 1600s, the famous Ukrainian Cossacks—fiercely independent warrior communities—got tired of Polish rule and looked for help. Their leader, Bohdan Khmelnytsky, made a deal with the Russian Tsar in 1654 for protection. This is known as the Treaty of Pereyaslav, and depending on who you ask, it either brought Ukraine under Russian protection or marked the start of Russian domination.
Russians have long viewed this treaty as Ukraine willingly joining their “family.” Ukrainians, on the other hand, see it more like a deal made under pressure—one that eventually cost them their freedom.
The Russian Empire and the Suppression of Ukrainian Identity
By the 18th century, most of Ukraine was absorbed into the Russian Empire, and things got rough for the Ukrainian language and culture. Russian rulers tried to erase Ukrainian identity by banning the language from schools and publications. They pushed the idea that Ukrainians were really just “Little Russians.”
At the same time, Western Ukraine ended up under Austrian rule, which gave it a very different experience—and added to the sense that Ukraine had its own unique path.
The Soviet Era: Famine, Repression, and Survival
Fast forward to the 20th century. Ukraine briefly became independent after World War I, but it was soon pulled into the Soviet Union. Under Stalin, Ukraine suffered through some of its darkest years.
One of the worst was the Holodomor, a man-made famine in the early 1930s that killed millions. Many Ukrainians and historians consider it a genocide, aimed at crushing their independence. On top of that, Stalin’s purges targeted Ukrainian artists, thinkers, and leaders. Any sense of national identity had to be hidden or it was wiped out.
Still, even through all of this, Ukrainian culture survived underground. People didn’t forget who they were.
Independence and a Tug-of-War
After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine finally became independent again—and the majority of Ukrainians, even in Russian-speaking areas, supported it. But it hasn’t been an easy road.
“This war isn’t just about borders—it’s about the weight of history, the fight for identity, and a nation’s refusal to be erased.”
Ukraine has spent the last few decades stuck in a geopolitical tug-of-war. Some leaders have leaned toward Europe and NATO. Others have leaned toward Moscow. This divide has caused major political turmoil.
You may have heard about the Orange Revolution in 2004 and the Euromaidan protests in 2013–2014. Both were moments when Ukrainians rejected pro-Russian governments and demanded closer ties to Europe. That didn’t sit well with the Kremlin.
In 2014, Russia invaded and annexed Crimea, then backed separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine. That set the stage for what we’re seeing now.
It’s About More Than Just Land
This war isn’t just about borders or politics—it’s about history and identity. Vladimir Putin has publicly said that Ukraine isn’t a “real” country. Many Russians see Ukraine as part of their own story.
But Ukrainians see it very differently. They’ve had their own language, their own culture, and their own fight for independence. And after everything—from the Cossacks to the Holodomor to the fight for democracy—they’re not about to let go of that.
Final Thoughts
So when people ask, “Why is this war happening?”, the answer isn’t just about NATO or current politics. It’s about centuries of shared, complicated, often painful history.
Russia and Ukraine have been neighbors, rivals, and entangled empires. But for many Ukrainians, this war is the final chapter in a long struggle to define who they are—without Moscow deciding for them.
