Ukraine Over the Edge

The Ukrainian drama, which burst onto the headlines in autumn 2013, was one long and complex in its making. In contrast to other studies of the Ukrainian conflict, the present study examines in detail its historical background and complex causalityfrom the rise of the mass demonstrations on Kievs Maidan to the making of the post-revolt Maidan regime. Two great schisms that shaped the Ukrainian crisis and their historical, cultural, and geopolitical causes are disected. One schism lay within Ukraine itself with western and southeastern Ukraine divided by different historical, ethnic, linguistic, religious, ideological, socioeconomic, and ultimately political and international orientations. The other at the international level was driven by geopolitical factors, real and conjured or `imagined. Western-Russian competition for Ukraine epitomized most by NATO and EU expansion to Russias very borders exacerbated Ukraines internal divisions, setting the country aflame. New light is shed on the role of radical Ukrainian nationalists and neofascists in the February 2014 snipers massacre, the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, and their less than democratic outcome as well as on Russias seizure of Crimea and involvement in Donbasss civil war. Finally, the analysis puts the rise of the `new cold war in context.