Both Russian historical science and propaganda present the slogan “Sevastopol is the city of Russian glory” as an undeniable truth. They linked it, first of all, with the events of the Crimean War of 1854–1856. However, up to 50% of the Empire’s troops were soldiers, sailors, and officers of Ukrainian origin, and Ukrainian sailors made up about 70% of the Black Sea Fleet. Here is one of many examples:
The Sevastopol museum complex “Mikhailov Battery” exhibits materials dedicated to the events of the Crimean War of 1854–1856. One photograph, probably taken in 1904, shows 41 gray-haired and bearded war veterans, former sailors of the Black Sea Fleet, who were gathered for ceremonial events on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol. Only three of the veterans have clearly Russian surnames, and three more have surnames of possibly non-Ukrainian origin. The vast majority – at least 35 men of the 41, that is, 85-90% – have Ukrainian surnames. [picture and the names are below].
Half of all regular cavalry regiments of the Russian army were recruited on Ukrainian lands. Overall, half of the defenders of Sevastopol in 1854-1855 were native Ukrainians.
The title image of the article is a photocopy of a Soviet postmark dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Sevastopol defense. On it, three of the five last names are Ukrainian, and only the first two are Russian.
One can be sure that during WW2, there was almost the same representation of the Ukrainians in the Red Army, but curiously, almost all the achievements are ascribed to the ‘Russians’.
Ancient history of Crimea and its ties to Kyiv are in the “Royal Scythia, Greece, Kyiv Rus” book.
