Last Saturday, I had the great pleasure of speaking with Dr. Greta Uehling from the University of Michigan. During our conversation, we discussed her book Decolonizing Ukraine: The Indigenous People of Crimea and Pathways to Freedom (2025). Throughout the conversation, we went over the role of Russian aggression, misinformation, and the importance of recognizing the indigeneity of the Crimean Tartars.
As many of my readers will know, I have consistently supported the Ukrainian struggle against Russia’s war of aggression and its imperialistic endeavors. Whether it is debating the efficacy of aid to Ukraine or critiquing Kremlin propaganda, I have been consistently focused on defending the rights of Ukrainians to defend themselves from Russia’s invasion. Indeed, Russia has repeatedly attempted to downplay the importance of Ukrainian sovereignty and dignity. As I explained last year:
While Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly argued that Ukraine isn’t a real country and is instead a flawed state that the Soviets created in the early 20th century, historians have repeatedly debunked him, even using the very maps he uses to make these arguments against him. This imperialistic and culturally patronizing worldview of Ukrainians and their sovereignty is precisely the problem with any peace talks that can be had as it stands right now.
However, even my coverage has been limited to the perspective of Ukraine, America, and Russia, while failing to fully appreciate the depth of cultures being impacted by the invasion. In this, Dr. Uehling provides an opportunity to correct the record, not as an antithesis to Ukrainian sovereignty, but as a complementary perspective.
Crimean Tartars, as Dr. Uehling notes, have long been fighting to ensure their history and self-determination are respected. Such a fight has earned the respect of their fellow Ukrainians, who have begun to see them as brethren in a common fight. Despite their strength, the Tartars have consistently been subject to attempted cultural erasure and violence by the Russian Federation, including but not limited to forced disappearances, state indoctrination of children, and much more horrific violence. As I also noted in my previous reporting on the war, Russia’s actions in Ukraine have gotten to the point where allegations of genocide are increasingly pertinent.
Throughout the interview, Dr. Uehling rightfully notes that the Tartars have a long-standing history in the region, and Russia continues to attempt to erase that history. Such erasure and violence must be resisted, and the Ukrainians must be supported in their endeavor of self-preservation. I highly recommend Dr. Uehling’s work, and I would also recommend checking out her other interviews on the subject.
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