On Monday, June 2 at 1:30 p.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center hosts a book launch event for Decolonizing Ukraine: The Indigenous People of Crimea and Pathways to Freedom by Greta Uehling, cultural anthropologist and teaching professor with the Program in International and Comparative Studies at the University of Michigan.  

Drawing upon extensive fieldwork in Ukraine, Uehling brings her readers into the experiences of Ukrainians, Russians, and Crimean Tatars living under Russian occupation in Crimea, many of whom fled for Ukrainian government-controlled territory. The book illustrates how Russia’s occupation extended beyond military force and disinformation, targeting personal relationships to disrupt communities and social networks. 

Uehling’s research brings critical attention to Crimean Tatars, offering valuable insights into how official Indigenous status provides a basis for advancing democratic freedoms and human rights in Ukraine. 

This discussion will be moderated by Milda Mataciunaite-Boyce, director of fellowships and coalitions at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. It will explore why the history of Crimea and Crimean Tatars is crucial for understanding Ukraine and Russia’s war of aggression today.