Russia-Ukraine Flashcards
what is the kremlin?
refers to the executive branch of the government of Russia or of the Soviet Union, especially in regard to its foreign affairs.
It also refers to the citadel of Moscow - the Moscow Kremlin(most well known kremlin) including within its walls the chief offices of the Russian and, formerly, of the Soviet government.
what structures does the moscow kremlin contain?
five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers.
when was it built and when was it declared a world heritage site?
Designated as world heritage site: 1990
Completed: 1495
Reference no: 545
who built the kremlin
The founder of Moscow, Prince Yury Dolgoruky, ordered the construction of the first wooden fortress in 1156 on a site known as the town of Moscow, but the word “kremlin” was only first recorded in the 14th century. The Kremlin we see today was constructed in the late 15th century by the Grand Prince of Moscow Ivan III Vasilyevich, also known as the Ivan the Great.
ukraine is located in ___ europe
eastern europe
russia lies to the ________ of ukraine
east
what is the largest country in the european contitnent?
russia
what is the second largest + second most powerful country after russia
ukraine
ukaraine lies to the ______ of russia
south west
what is the capital of ukraine on the _______ river
city kyiv or kiev, on river dnieper
what are the repercussions on health and env 1986 chernobyl acccident
The 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant created severe environmental problems in northwestern Ukraine. Vast areas of land are contaminated by dangerous short- and long-lived radioactive isotopes, notably strontium-90, which can replace calcium in foods and become concentrated in bones and teeth. Contaminated agricultural lands near Chernobyl will be unsafe for thousands of years, though some of these areas continue to be occupied and farmed. Several thousand premature deaths from cancer are expected over the long term.
what is the chernobyl disaster of 1986
Date: 26 April 1986
Cause: Reactor design flaws and human error
Outcome: INES Level 7 (major accident)
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the No. 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. It is considered the worst nuclear disaster in history both in cost and casualties.
INES
The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale was introduced in 1990 by the International Atomic Energy Agency in order to enable prompt communication of safety significant information in case of nuclear accidents
scale ranges from 1 to 8
what is the ethnicity of ukraine
- 8% - ukranian
- 3% - russian
- 9% - moldovian, belarusian, crimean tatar, other
languages of ukraine
ukraine, russian is the most important minority language
ukraine religion
46% - ukrainian orthodox
6 - catholic
48% other
when was the soviet union dissoluted
1991
russia is home to europe’s longest river and largest lake
Europe’s longest river, the Volga, and its largest lake, Ladoga
russia houses the baikal lake which is the
world’s deepest lake
russia houses the baikal lake which is the
world’s deepest lake
what is russia’s ethnic composition
russians - 80.9
tartars - 3.9
ukranians - 1.4
what is the capital of russia
moscow
What kind of government does Russia have right now?
The politics of Russia take place in the framework of the federal semi-presidential republic of Russia.
president russia
vladimir putin
He has been serving in this position since 2012, and he previously held this office from 1999 until 2008.
prime minister russia
mikhail mishustin
serving as Prime Minister of Russia since 16 January 2020. He previously served as Director of the Federal Taxation Service from 2010 to 2020.
replaced Dmitry Medvedev
party - independent like putin
what are putin’s previous offices
2008 - 2012 - prime minister 2000 - 2008 - prez 1999 - 2000 - acting prez and pm 1999- acting chairman of russian federation 3 time prez and 3 time pm
putin is planning a law that will allow him to stay prez until 2036 when he will be 83, what is the present law
6 year term, can be renewed once
what is the government system in ukraine
unitary semi-presidential (russia is federal)
president of ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky
since 20 May 2019.
pm of ukraine
Denys Shmyhal
since 4 March 2020. Shmyhal is serving as the country’s Prime Minister and thus is in charge of the COVID-19 Pandemic Response in Ukraine.
which part of ukraine supports russia
east ukraine, west ukraine looks to europe as an ally
e ukraine is separatist and remains outside the direct control of kyiv
what were the circumstances that led to the fleeing of victor yanukovych ( fourth President of Ukraine from 2010 until he was removed from office in the 2014 )
After rejecting the Ukrainian-European Association Agreement, Yanukovych was ousted from office in the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution. He currently lives in exile in Russia.
why do both the west and russia want to be allied with ukraine
to ensure balance of power of the region in their favor
how many countries were there in ussr
15 independent countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
when and why did russia-ukraine relations turn sour
in 2013, after ukraine began to approach the eu
how did ukraine’s internal crisis begin
when viktor yanokovych suspended the eu association agreement in 2013
yanukovuch was a corrupt pro-russia
what language does crimea speak
russian, it is pro-russian and it is because of this that russia was able to declare it as a sovereign part of russia
what happened after yanukovych’s suspension of the eu association agreement in 2013
In November 2013 a wave of large scale protests (known as Euromaidan) erupted in response to president Yanukovych’s refusal to sign a political association and free trade agreement with the European Union at a meeting of the Eastern Partnership in Vilnius, Lithuania. These protests continued for months. In February 2014 clashes between the protestors and the riot police became violent, and resulted in the deaths of nearly 130 people, including 18 police officers.
February 21,
an agreement between president Yanukovych and the leaders of the parliamentary opposition was signed that called for early elections and the formation of an interim unity government.
when did yanukovych flee the country and what was the result of the impeachment vote that he ran from
22 february: the parliament declared that Yanukovych was relieved of duty in a 328-to-0 vote.
are the euromaidan and the maidan revolution the same?
no.
euromaidan: nov 2013 to feb 2014
maidan revolution: at the end of the euromaidan feb 2014
what is the maidan revolution
The Revolution of Dignity (Ukrainian: Revoliutsiia hidnosti), also known as the Maidan revolution, took place in Ukraine in February 2014 at the end of the Euromaidan protests, when a series of violent events involving protesters, riot police, and unknown shooters in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv culminated in the ousting of elected president Viktor Yanukovych, and the overthrow of the Ukrainian government.[1][2]
what led to the formation of self-proclaimed states of donetsk and luhansk in the donbas region
an unofficial status referendum on 11 may 2014, led to the formation of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic which declared independence from ukraine.
what is the name of the shortlived confederation that donetsk and luhansk together formed between 22 may 2014 and 20 may 2015
Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, also referred to as the Union of People’s Republics .
why was novorossiya suspended
DNR Foreign Minister Alexander Kofman said that the idea hadn’t attracted enough support outside the separatist territories.
Oleg Tsaryov, the speaker of Novorossiya’s “Unitary Parliament” and a frequent guest on Russian television, offered a different explanation: “The work of Novorossiya [official] structures has been frozen because it does not conform to the [Minsk II] peace agreement signed in the presence of the Normandy Four countries [Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France, on February 12].”
what states recognised donestsk and lushank’s public republic as independent states
Donetsk
Luhansk - 11 May 2014, day of formation
South Ossetia day of recognition 19 June 2014 (Luhansk) 27 June 2014 (Donetsk) day of establishment of diplomatic relations 28 January 2015 (Luhansk) 11 May 2015 (Donetsk)
which is the only country that it got intl recognition from
south ossetia (western asia)
how many countries is south ossetia recognised by
5 of 193 un countries
does russia recognise dpr and lpr
no, sees them as part of the donbas oblast
oblast - literally province
adminstrative region
what is the significance of donetsk for ukraine
a major economic, industrial and scientific centre of Ukraine with a high concentration of heavy industries and a skilled workforce.
why is luhansk important
an important industrial center of Eastern Europe, particularly as a home to the major locomotive-building company Luhanskteplovoz.
what is the affliation of the people who control donbas
pro-russian separatists
how did the internation community react to russia’s annexation of crimea
us and eu imposed sanctions, most countries did not recognise it.
The government of India was the first major country to recognize the annexation of Crimea and have abstained a resolution on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, justifying its decision by saying it was the people of Crimea’s choice.
“We are grateful to all those who understood our actions in Crimea,” Mr. Putin said. “We are grateful to the people of China, whose leadership sees the situation in Crimea in all its historical and political integrity. We highly appreciate India’s restraint and objectivity.”
what are the recent developments
troops are moving into ukraine’s border and reports say that russia may attack around january
russia wants assurance that ukraine will not be inducted into nato but biden refuses to provideany assurance, to prevent russian invasion, eu and us plan have said they may impose onerous sanctions, which will have an impact on the global economy
what kind of relationship does india have with ukraine
diplomatic relationship, india is its 5th largest export destination (1st in asia pacific)
what does ukraine export to india and vice versa
india exports mainly pharma while it imports military tech and equipment, recently, it has begun exporting weapons to enhance defence cooperation
for example, the R27 air to air missiles used by SU30 MKI fighter jets
when did india recognise ukraine
in, 1991, after it’s independence
when was the embassy of india in kyiv estd
may 1992
when did ukraine open its Mission (diplomatic consulate) in New Delhi
feb 1993
prior to 1991, when was ukraine independent
The Ukrainian War of Independence of 1917 to 1921 produced the Free Territory of Ukraine, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (in 1919 merged from the Ukrainian People’s Republic and West Ukrainian People’s Republic) which was quickly subsumed in the Soviet Union in 1922.
from when to when did ussr last
1922 to 1991
30 December 1922 - 26 December 1991
what are the three unique and strategically important geographical features of ukraine
steppes, black sea, dnieper river (on banks of which kyiv sits and which drains into the black dea)
when did the russian empire conquer crimea
1783
what is sevastapol and its significance
Sevastopol is the largest city in Crimea and a major port on the Black Sea. Due to its strategic location and the navigability of the city’s harbors, Sevastopol has been an important port and naval base throughout its history
when was crimea transferred to ukraine
1954
In 1954, the Crimean Oblast was incorporated into the Ukrainian SSR following administrative action of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.[34] This Supreme Soviet Decree states that this transfer was motivated by “the commonality of the economy, the proximity, and close economic and cultural relations between the Crimean region and the Ukrainian SSR”
how many soldiers does russia have at ukraine?
as of december 2021
over 90k
Status of forces agreement
A status of forces agreement (SOFA) is an agreement between a host country and a foreign nation stationing military forces in that country. SOFAs are often included, along with other types of military agreements, as part of a comprehensive security arrangement. A SOFA does not constitute a security arrangement; it establishes the rights and privileges of foreign personnel present in a host country in support of the larger security arrangement. Under international law a status of forces agreement differs from military occupation.
which treaty gave russia the name and 81.7% of the BSF
the bsf partition treaty
which treaty gave russia the name and 81.7% of the BSF
the bsf partition treaty
what is the bsf partition treaty also called
Partition Treaty on the Status and Conditions of the Black Sea Fleet
what are the terms of the bsf partition treaty
The Soviet Black Sea Fleet that was headquartered in the Crimean Peninsula at the time, was partitioned between Russia (81.7%) and Ukraine (18.3%). In exchange, Russia agreed to pay $526 million as a compensation for its part of the divided fleet. [2]
Ukraine agreed to lease Crimean naval facilities to Russia for 20 years until 2017.[6] Russia would pay Ukraine $97 million annually for leasing Crimean bases. This payment was deducted from the cost of Russian gas provided and billed to Ukraine.[2] The basing rules were set in a status of forces agreement, namely Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the Status and Conditions of the Stationing of the Black Sea Fleet [BSF] on the territory of Ukraine.[7] The treaty also allowed Russia to maintain up to 25,000 troops, 24 artillery systems, 132 armored vehicles, and 22 military planes on the Crimean Peninsula.[2]
Russia was bound to “respect the sovereignty of Ukraine, honor its legislation and preclude interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine” and, furthermore, Russian military personnel had to show their “military identification cards” when crossing the Ukrainian-Russian border; Russian forces could operate “beyond their deployment sites” only after “coordination with the competent agencies of Ukraine.”.[2]
what was the one time compensation provided to ukraine for the division of the russian bsf
$526 million
what is the yearly lease amount for housing mili at crimean bases
$97 million annually
This payment was deducted from the cost of Russian gas provided and billed to Ukraine
what is the kharkiv pact
A fourth agreement, the Kharkiv Pact, was signed on 21 April 2010 and extended the lease until 2042 (with possibility of renewal for an additional five years) in exchange for a multiyear discounted contract to provide Ukraine with Russian natural gas.
which treaty supplements the bsf partition treaty
Russian–Ukrainian Friendship Treaty
minsk i
Ukraine and the Russian-backed separatists agreed a 12-point ceasefire deal in the capital of Belarus in September 2014
what are the provisions of minsk 1
prisoner exchanges, deliveries of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of heavy weapons, five months into a conflict that by that point had killed more than 2,600 people – a toll that has risen to more than 14,000 now, according to the Ukrainian government. The agreement quickly broke down, with violations by both sides.
what is minsk ii and who signed it
Representatives of Russia, Ukraine, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the leaders of two pro-Russian separatist regions signed a 13-point agreement in February 2015 in Minsk.
the deal was signed in the presence of
The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine gathered there at the same time and issued a declaration of support for the deal.
The deal set out a series of military and political steps that remain unimplemented. Why?
A major blockage has been Russia’s insistence that it is not a party to the conflict and therefore is not bound by its terms. Point 10, for example, calls for the withdrawal of all foreign armed formations and military equipment from the two disputed regions, Donetsk and Luhansk: Ukraine says this refers to forces from Russia, but Moscow denies it has any there.
what are the 13 points
- An immediate and comprehensive ceasefire
- Withdrawal of all heavy weapons by both sides
- Monitoring and verification by the OSCE
- To start a dialogue on interim self-government for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in accordance with Ukrainian law, and acknowledge their special status by a resolution of parliament.
- A pardon and amnesty for people involved in the fighting
- An exchange of hostages and prisoners.
- Provision of humanitarian assistance.
13 points
- Resumption of socio-economic ties, including pensions.
- Restore full control of the state border by the government of Ukraine.
- Withdrawal of all foreign armed formations, military equipment and mercenaries.
- Constitutional reform in Ukraine including decentralisation, with specific mention of Donetsk and Luhansk.
- Elections in Donetsk and Luhansk on terms to be agreed with their representatives.
- Intensify the work of a Trilateral Contact Group including representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE.
what kind of gov does ukraine have
semi-presidential, unitary
what is the crimean war
The Crimean War was a military conflict fought from October 1853 to February 1856 in which Russia lost to an alliance of France, the Ottoman Empire, the United Kingdom and Sardinia. The immediate cause of the war involved the rights of Christian minorities in Palestine, which was part of the Ottoman Empire.
The Crimean War was the result of Russian demands to exercise protection over the Orthodox subjects of the Ottoman sultan. Another cause was a dispute between Russia and France over the privileges of the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in Palestine.
what is osce
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world’s largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, promotion of human rights, freedom of the press, and fair elections.
when and where was it founded
1 August 1975, Helsinki, Finland, when the final act was signed.
it has its roots in 1973 Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), renamed OSCE
1 January 1995.
It was declared as the successor of the csce.
who are the members of the osce
All EU Member States are participating States of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Altogether, the OSCE has 57 participating States from Europe, North America, and Central Asia and spans a geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok.
(including us)
is india part of osce europe
no
osce has a court of
conciliation and arbitration
how many members does osce have
57 participating countries 11 partners for co-operation
who are the leaders of osce
• Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde • Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Matteo Mecacci • Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro • High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov • Secretary-General Helga Schmid
what led to the formation of the osce
helsinki accords
Helsinki Accords
Helsinki Final Act, also known as Helsinki Accords or Helsinki Declaration was the document signed at the closing meeting of the third phase of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Helsinki, Finland, during 30 July – 1 August 1975, following two years of negotiations known as the Helsinki Process.
what was their purpose
All then-existing European countries (except pro-Chinese Albania and semi-sovereign Andorra) as well as United States and Canada, altogether 35 participating states, signed the Final Act in an attempt to improve the détente between the East and the West.
are the helisinki accords binding
All then-existing European countries (except pro-Chinese Albania and semi-sovereign Andorra) as well as United States and Canada, altogether 35 participating states, signed the Final Act in an attempt to improve the détente between the East and the West. The Helsinki Accords
are the helsinki accords binding
were not binding as they did not have treaty status that would have to be ratified by parliaments.
Caucasus
Region
The Caucasus, or Caucasia, is a region spanning Europe and Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea and mainly occupied by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia.
Anatolia
Peninsula
Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. Wikipedia
the black sea is surrounded by
anatolia
caucasus
europe
The littoral zone of the Black Sea is often referred to as
the Pontic littoral or Pontic zone.
the pontic zone consists of
The Black Sea is bordered by 2 EU countries – Bulgaria and Romania – as well as Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.
The withdrawal of Nato forces from _______ was among Russian president Vladimir Putin’s publicly stated demands for avoiding a clash over Ukraine, prompting a measure of alarm in Bucharest.
Romania and Bulgaria
Bucharest
Capital of Romania
Tbilisi
Capital of Georgia
Chișinău
Capital of Moldova
Sofia
Capital of Bulgaria
The Kremlin-controlled territory of _________, a Russian-occupied district of Moldova, remains Moscow’s western-most garrison, just 100 miles from the Romanian border, and has been cited as among the ways Russia could launch a front against Ukraine.
Transnistria
Romanians worry that any incursion into Ukraine could trigger instability and spillover in _______–, a largely Romanian-speaking nation of 2.6 million over which it has clashed with Russia for centuries. The former Soviet Republic is regarded by many as part of historical Romania.
Moldova
the black sea connects with the medi. sea through
black sea -> bosporus strait -> sea of marmara -> dardanelles strait => mediterranean sea
the nature of the water of the black sea is _____, a severe case of hypoxia
anoxic, as a result movement bw upper and lower layers is rare
Anoxic waters are areas of sea water, fresh water, or groundwater that are depleted of dissolved oxygen and are conditions of hypoxia. The US Geological Survey defines anoxic groundwater as those with dissolved oxygen concentration of less than 0.5 milligrams per litre.
hypoxia water
Hypoxia means low oxygen and is primarily a problem for estuaries and coastal waters. Hypoxic waters have dissolved oxygen concentrations of less than 2-3 mg/L. … As dead algae decompose, oxygen is consumed in the process, resulting in low levels of oxygen in the water.
salinity of the black sea is not as high as ocean water why
it is believed that it was once fresh water but due to floods and the mediterranean sea to which it is connected, it became salty
russia has a long standing geopolitical rivalry with which pontic state
turkey
what is the basis of the black seas strategic importance to russia
security buffer zone to protect from potential threat from southern europe
provides access to the mediterranean sea where russia wants to est. itself amongst nato states and the sea provides acesss to the the rest of the world
protect trade links with european markets
make s. europe dependent of russian gas and oil
it is also a warm water port, as most of northern russia’s ports are not navigable year round, cold water ports
how much trade passes through mediterranean sea
intra- mediterranean maritime trade flows account for nearly 25% of global traffic volume.
when was the black sea first annexed by russia and by whom
catherine the great in 1783
other european states, namely _____ and _____ were active in the black sea during the crimean war, in mid 1800’s
france and uk
during the cold war the black sea was reffered to as ______ due to moscow’s nearly singular dominance over the region
soviet lake
which was the only country to counterbalance it’s dominance in the area
turkey
what actions risk the shift of power and dominance in the black sea region to nato
after the dissolution of the soviet, romania and bulgaria joined the nato and georgia and ukraine expressed their wish to join
Russo-Georgian War
1 Aug 2008 – 12 Aug 2008
The Russo-Georgian War was a war between Georgia, Russia and the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The war took place in August 2008 following a period of worsening relations between Russia and Georgia, both formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union.
the two straits that connect the black sea with the mediterranean are controlled by _______, which poses a disadvantage to the movement of military ships of russia
turkey
may use such control as a chokehold during conflict
Ankara
Capital of Turkey
1936 Montreux Convention
The modern treaty controlling access is the 1936 Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits, which remains in force as of 2022. This Convention gives the Republic of Turkey control over warships entering the straits but guarantees the free passage of civilian vessels in peacetime. (merchant ships are civilian) The straits: dardanelles and bosphorus
what are the US’s interests in the black sea
of the pontic states
turkey, bulgaria and romania are nato countries and georgia and ukraine want to join
in case of a standoff bw these nato countries and and russia, the black sea will be a maritime flashpoint
strategic trade interests
is uk part of the nato
yes one of thirty states
security in the black sea region is necessary for security of NATO’s______ flank
eatern flank
where are us troops in romania stationed
most in mikhail kogelniceanu airbase
some are also there to support the aegis missile defense system (1st on nato’s eastern flank)
who is the chief of pentagon
us defense secretary
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II.
black sea is located in
eurasia
russia’s hold on the black is neccesary to control ________ domi nace
nato
