It’s been almost a decade since Russia illegally annexed Crimea with Vladimir Putin calling the peninsula sacred ground. And the public reaction to this first forceful change of borders in Europe since the Third Reich was euphoric as chants of “Krim Nash” rang in the air.
But today, Russians are hardly acting as if Crimea is hallowed ground. Instead they are fleeing the peninsula in droves amid consistent air assaults from Ukraine. Suddenly, Russia’s historical claims look hollow. And suddenly, Crimea is very much in play.
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks about the new war for Crimea with journalist and longtime Russia-watcher Casey Michel, author of the recently published article in Foreign Policy, “Russia’s Red Line in Crimea Has Been Erased.”
Enjoy…
SHOW NOTES
The audio clips opening the podcast and the second segment come from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech to the 4th session of the ministerial roundtable on support for Ukraine in Marrakech on October 4. The full speech can be accessed here.
The article in Foreign Policy by Casey Michel, “Russia’s Red Line in Crimea Has Been Erased,” which was discussed on the podcast can be accessed here. Casey Michel’s article, “Here’s How Ukraine Can Retake Crimea,” which was also discussed on the podcast, can be accessed here.