Same Old Russia

My History of Russia 1672-1825 course has given me some unique perspective on the current issues between Ukraine and Russia over Crimea. I've seen some people comparing this to the Cold War or even the political tensions preceding WWI, but Russia's interest in Crimea dates back even further.

Here's Putin requesting permission from Russia's Federation Council to send troops into Ukraine:

"Due to the extraordinary situation on Ukraine, with threats to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our compatriots, and of the the personnel of the military contingent of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation located in accordance with the international agreement on the territory of Ukraine (in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea), and on the basis of Paragraph D, Part 1 of Article 102 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, I am submitting to the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation an appeal for use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, for the purpose of normalising the political situation in this country."

And here's Catherine the Great more than 230 years earlier on April 8, 1783 announcing Russia's annexation of Crimea:

"And therefore, in keeping with the solicitude incumbent upon us for the welfare and majesty of our fatherland, striving to assure its welfare and security, and likewise looking this as a means of eliminating forever the unpleasant causes that disturb the eternal peace concluded between the Russian and Ottoman empires...we have decided to take under our dominion the Crimean Peninsula..."

In today's context, change "Ottoman empires" to "Western Europe". Sound familiar?

Of course, Putin can't explicitly take over Crimea like his predecessor did, but sending in troops to prop up a puppet government is just as good. Another difference is that most people in Crimea today really do want closer ties with Russia (although the Crimean Tatars are a notable exception who have a long history with Russia), whereas most people in Crimea during Catherine's time probably just wanted everyone to stop fighting and burning their farms all the time.

Crimea has always been important to Russia because it provides an ideal port along the Black Sea and a buffer with their neighbors. It wouldn't surprise me if unrest in Eastern Ukraine prompts another military response from Putin, leading more of Ukraine to separate from Kiev and giving Russia another buffer state.

Potemkin's memorandum to Catherine urging her to annex Crimea is also telling. Talking about the potential benefits, Potemkin lists:

"navigation on the Black Sea will be free; as it is now, your ships have difficulty in leaving port and find it still harder to enter...The acquisition of the Crimea can neither strengthen nor enrich you, but it will give you security."