Ukrainian Shield in Defense of European Civilization: Chronology and Periodization

Abstract

This article demonstrates how the ‘Ukrainian Shield’ has protected European civilization for more than a thousand years of turbulence. The article also develops a periodization of this phenomenon. Scientific novelty. Despite a thorough study of some aspects of the topic, the Ukrainian Shield hypothesis as a unifying theme has not been adequately covered in Ukrainian historiography. The authors show the leading role of Ukraine in the struggle against various enemies who tried to conquer European countries, and we define the chronological boundaries and develop a periodization of this process. Methodology. The study uses a civilizational approach, methods of analogy and periodization, historical, chronological comparative and analytical methods. Conclusions. For more than 1155 years, the Ukrainian Crystal Shield has defended European civilization from various enemies, with the Ukrainian population bearing an enormous cost. This process began in 867, when the legendary Kyivan Princes Askold and Dir defeated the Pechenegs, and continues in 2023, when Ukrainians stopped the resurgent Moscow horde that threatens the whole world. The periodization of the Ukrainian Shield was developed on the basis of the stages of Ukrainian statehood. Stage I. Princely Statehood: wars with the Pechenegs (867-1036); with the Torks (1055-1060); with the Polovtsians (Cumans) (1060-1238); with the Mongol-Tatars (1223-1241). Stage II. Cossack Era: confrontation with the Turks and Tatars (1478-1775). Stage III. The Ukrainian National Revolution: the struggle of the Ukrainian insurgency against the march of the Bolsheviks’ World Revolution (1917-1923). Stage IV. The Modern Ukrainian Independent State: the Russian-Ukrainian war (2014-2023). The Ukrainian Shield protected European civilization from the Pechenegs, Torks, Polovtsians, Mongol-Tatars, Turks, Bolsheviks, and continues to protect it from Russian aggression since February 24, 2022. For 667 years out of the past 1155 years, Ukraine has been engaged in open conflict to repel invaders. Many of the “peaceful” years were spent preparing for the next onslaught. These long and bloody wars, often waged against superior opponents, has required enormous effort, along with material and human resources from Ukrainians. The principal beneficiaries of Ukrainian heroism have been the peoples of central and western Europe. Funding. The article is published within the international project Erasmus+ in the direction of Jean Monnet Module «Implementation of European values as a basis of democracy in Ukraine»  (EVADEM – 101085843 – ERASMUS-JMO-2022-MODULE).