The Ukrainian Question in russian Foreign Policy: A Commentary on M. Kovalevsky’s Article “Russian Political Directions Towards the Ukrainian Question” (1927)

This paper offers a commentary on M. Kovalevsky’s article “Rosyjskie kierunki polityczne wobec zagadnienia ukraińskiego” [Russian Political Directions Towards the Ukrainian Question], published in Sprawy Narodowościowe in 1927. Kovalevsky reveals how Ukrainian identity was denied by the soviet regime, how Ukrainian culture was marginalised or used as a tool to destabilise the region, and how the country’s resources were exploited by the totalitarian state. The present paper traces parallels with contemporary russian rhetoric and actions, showing how historical narratives are weaponised to justify the ongoing russian aggression. Drawing on Kovalevsky’s insights, the author illustrates how culture became a colonial tool, mirroring broader imperial practices, and how Ukraine’s emancipation remains central to regional stability and postcolonial resistance.