Whose is Crimea?: Contested Sovereignty and Regional Identity

A dispute concerning rightful sovereignty over Crimea has (re)emerged as one of the most heated points of contention between Ukraine and Russia following the Euromaidan protests and Russia’s subsequent annexation of the region in March 2014. Both sides in this dispute have relied upon particular national narratives of Crimea to argue for its inherent “belonging” to either Ukraine or Russia, and these narratives have largely shaped popular understandings of Crimean identities. Frequently neglected in these discussions is the strength of regional identities among Crimeans of all ethnic backgrounds. Based on results from a 2011 survey, this article argues that, at least prior to 2014, Crimeans’ senses of territorial identity and belonging were primarily tied to Crimea itself, while their political affinities for either Ukraine or Russia were generally far less salient.