Land of the Union or Land of Ukraine?: 'Liberating' State Property in Late Soviet Ukraine, 1980-1991

• In Event: Between States and Nations: Contesting Sovereignty in the Era of Collapse, 1980s-1990s

Abstract

This article examines Mezhyhirya, a Soviet-era diplomatic retreat akin to Camp David, as a key site for sovereignty disputes in late Soviet Ukraine, highlighting how it became a focal point for negotiating autonomy following Ukraine's 1991 sovereignty declaration and Gorbachev's controversial use of the site. The study delves into the strategies of Soviet leaders, and their autocratic control over Ukrainian property rights, amidst increasing calls for autonomy. It uses Mezhyhirya as a case study to understand broader late Soviet political dynamics.

Author

• Sierra Nota, Naval Postgraduate School