Ukraine-Russia Contested Borders

• Boundaries of Russia have changed several times, most recently when Russia annexed part of Ukraine in 2014.
• Rationale provided by Russia's Putin was that many ethnic Russians live in Ukraine.
• From the late 1700s onwards, Crimea belonged to Russia/USSR and its eventual inclusion as part of independent state of Ukraine in 1991 was controversial due to large number of ethnic Russians still living there.
• 2014: a brief period of civil conflict in Crimea ended with territory being annexed by Russia. International community condemned this but no actual steps were taken to prevent it.
• In 2015, Russian military intervention began in eastern Ukraine (Donbas region) which has continued ever since.
• The Donbas is home to a significant proportion of Ukrainian industry and population, including major cities such as Kharkiv and Dnipro.
• Eastern Ukraine is also where the majority of ethnic Russians reside within Ukraine.
• The Donbas is home to around 3 million people who are mostly ethnically Ukrainian or Russian speakers.
• Since 2014, over 3 million people have been displaced from their homes in Eastern Ukraine.
• There is also ongoing violence along the border between Russia and Georgia, particularly in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
• Since 2014, over 6000 civilians have been killed in fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.
• Displacement has led to increased poverty levels across Ukraine due to loss of income and assets.
• Over 70% of those displaced are women and children.
• Historical Tensions - The relationship between Ukraine and Russia dates back centuries, with both countries sharing a complex history marked by periods of cooperation and conflict.