On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a “special military operation,” while Russia’s military launched a comprehensive invasion of Ukraine, employing air, sea, and ground forces. As of today, two years into the full-scale conflict, Ukraine remains resilient, with President Zelensky leading from Kyiv and none of the regional centers under Russian control. Despite Ukraine’s strong resistance to the invasion, significant challenges to its sovereignty persist, posing ongoing threats to European security. This course delves into the complex dynamics underlying the conflict, examining the historical, political, and security factors that have contributed to the largest security crisis in Europe since the Cold War.

Dates: Thursdays, April 11 – May 16, 2024.

Time: 1:30pm-3:30pm

Location:

Hybrid, Online & In-Person (Participants can choose to attend in person or online).

  • Online via Zoom
  • In-Person, Carleton University Campus – Nicol Building

Information regarding the room number, parking details, zoom and how to access content will be provided to registered participants 1-2 business days before the first day of the series.

Topics:

  • Week 1 & 2: Ukraine, Russia, and the question of Crimea.
  • Week 3 & 4: From conflict mediation 2014-2022 to full-scale invasion.
  • Week 5 & 6: War displacement and migration. Dynamics in 2023-4 and war scenarios.

About the Lecturer: Milana Nikolko, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor at the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS), Carleton University and a Sessional Instructor, at the Department of Political Studies, University of Manitoba, Canada. From 2005 to 2014 Nikolko was an associate Professor of Political Science (Docent) at V.Vernadsky Taurida National University (Ukraine). In 2008 was appointed as a visiting professor at Political Science Department, Valdosta State University (USA).
She has published extensively on topics of Ukraine’s nation-building process, mediation of grey zone conflicts (case Ukraine), and political narratives of victimization among ethnic minorities, migrants and diaspora groups from the post-Soviet countries. The full bio could be found here: https://carleton.ca/eurus/people/nikolko-milana/

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