As part of the “Question–Answer” format, Alan from India asked: how is Ukraine’s history most often distorted abroad? This question is answered by Ihor Stambol, PhD in History, writer, and expert at Ukrainian Crisis Media Center, who explains that the main distortion lies in denying Ukraine’s subjectivity—its role as an independent political actor in history. In particular, the legacy of Kyivan Rus is often oversimplified or misinterpreted, attributed exclusively to other states, while the state-building role of the Cossacks is underestimated and reduced merely to a military phenomenon.
Why do these narratives still dominate globally, and how are historians challenging them? Watch the new video to find out.