Monuments in Russian Crimea: symbolically securing the peninsula as a part of Russia

Abstract

The article provides an overview of the monuments, which are erected on the territory of Crimean peninsula after its accession to Russia in 2014. In a few years a lot of monuments and memorable signs have appeared on the territory of Crimea Republic and the city of Sevastopol. This activity has a specific purpose. Erecting of monuments is considered in the article as an ideological action focused on symbolical fixing of Crimea as a part of Russia, especially in terms of justification of historical rights of Russia to this region. Herewith representatives of the government authority and benefactors and activists who collaborate with them follow their own vision of Russian history and history of Crimea choosing historical figures and events to erect a monument. Thus, the analysis of historical themes and figures selected for erecting monuments aims to reconstruct of historical ideas and predilections of Russian political establishment and to characterize politics of memory which is realized in the region.