Russia and Ukraine Battling for Historical Truth

... The interpretation of concrete events and the formation of myths (as semiotic systems) helps to assign the friends and foes and also validate political decisions. *** Although Russian and Ukrainian leaders use the same historical facts surrounding the Kievan Rus, their motivations differ. While Russia wants to add additional legitimacy to its political decision over the voluntary entry of Crimea into the Russian Federation, Ukraine is trying to restore the shattering legitimacy of its state borders and the national identity of its population. The use of historical facts is a long applied instrument for fueling an entire political context,...