Novorossiya or Intermarium? The Fight for Donbas

About the lecture The historical idea of Novorossiya in Russia, in regard to Ukraine, has been a manufactured reality for at least the last 250 years since it was first uttered. Before that, it was a concept that shaped attitudes about Ukraine, denying but not destroying a separate national existence, and implicit to Russo-centric historiography. During the Soviet period, it was used for state power, as attitudes became murder. Today, Novorossiya is invoked in the central government's denial campaign of the not-so-secret war with Ukraine. But where did it come from? And how has it been repackaged? And why does Putin not matter, ultimately? This presentation will seek to answer these questions and more through an investigation of eastern Ukraine, who is doing the fighting, and who really cares about this war. About the speaker Jarrod McDowell graduated from IWP in 2017 with an MA in National Security Affairs, with a focus on intelligence. He received his BS in History from Emmanuel College. During his time at IWP, he worked for TRAC as an Editorial Researcher. Today, he continues in a similar role as a DoD civilian.