Ukraine, Putin, and the Russian Federation

Donald Gluck reviews Ukraine’s history from 9th century Kyivan Rus, through the 1649 to 1764 Cossack Hetmanate, to today’s republic, emphasizing the Orange and Maidan Revolutions, and Russian Federation aggression. The last includes the covert war of 2014 and the massive invasion beginning in 2022. He details the authoritarian trajectory of Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation and explores Putin’s irridentist longing for lost land; revanchist passion over despoiled honor; and the realpolitik of capturing bountiful Ukraine.

Donald Gluck, Ph.D., was an aerospace engineer. He supported the Nunn-Lugar Threat Reduction Program, working for several years with Russian and Ukrainian scientists. After retirement, he taught classes in foreign films, the Soviet Union, Mao’s China, and the Holocaust for lifelong learning organizations including Renesan.