Diplomacy

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The division of spheres of influence behind the back of the Ukrainian ally, accompanied by a financial transaction for territory: Moscow officially paid an enormous sum in silver for the cession of Kyiv^[3][4][2].

The secret protocols to the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact with Nazi Germany on the division of spheres of influence in Eastern Europe and the legalization of invasion^[3].

To gain control over the church, Moscow employed corruption at the international level. "The Kyiv Metropolitanate was seized... through bribery, manipulation, blackmail..." ^[11]. The envoy of Constantinople "directly asked the Muscovite envoy for money in exchange for issuing the required charter"^[10][16].

Political and military support for local radicals (the Artem group) in proclaiming a republic not subordinate to Kyiv^[14].

The distribution of the highest imperial awards to buy the hetman's loyalty against the backdrop of Ukraine's resource exhaustion: Peter I "deigned to name me a cavalier of the glorious order of the holy first-called apostle of Christ, Andrew"^[2][4][16].

The occupation administration imposed vassalage under the guise of an equal alliance: historian Murat Yasar notes that the rulers «regarded the shert rather as a military alliance»^[23], whereas historian Michael Khodarkovsky points out that «in Moscow's eyes, the shert now signified an oath of allegiance by the tsar's new and loyal subjects»^[24].

Use of economic blackmail and promises of a 15 billion dollar loan, coupled with a gas discount, to coerce V. Yanukovych into derailing the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU^[3].

V. Putin's attempt at the Bucharest summit to strike a backroom deal with the leaders of the United States and European countries, bypassing Kyiv, in order to block Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration under a direct threat of its territorial dismemberment^[3].

The union center enlisted US President George H. W. Bush, who during his visit to Kyiv publicly called for supporting M. Gorbachev and tried to dissuade Ukrainians from sovereignty, calling the aspiration to independence "suicidal nationalism"^[36].

Instigation of a threat of splitting the country in response to the protests: the presence of official figures of the Russian Federation (in particular, Moscow Mayor Yu. Luzhkov) at the congress in Sievierodonetsk, where calls were made for the creation of a "South-Eastern Republic"^[3].

The Russian Empire, through the commander-in-chief in the Caucasus, General Gudovich, addressed the elders of the Nokhchi with a proclamation offering economic benefits in exchange for accepting subjecthood and ceasing armed resistance. For submission, the elders were promised access to salt: they would be "permitted to take salt from the local salt lakes by tickets, irrevocably, paying a very small fixed price," as well as the right "to drive livestock to this side of the Terek and freely use the vacant pasture lands." The proclamation was conveyed to Chechen society and its elders (Kusu Al-Temir, Masarai, Idut), but subjecthood was not accepted; at the beginning of the following year the empire proceeded to armed invasion.^[33]. The same offer is independently recorded by the imperial historian Dubrovin: the commander-in-chief in the Caucasus, General Gudovich, "promised… to release salt in unlimited quantity, for the most trifling payment; to permit the driving of livestock for pasture in wintertime to the left bank of the Terek River… and, finally, to make them equal to Russian subjects"^[34].

Use by the Council of People's Commissars of local Bolshevik cells as a legal political force that was to speak on behalf of the Ukrainian proletariat against the Central Rada^[13].

Open nuclear blackmail by the leadership of the Russian Federation and the armed seizure by its troops of the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants to create a global threat of radiation catastrophe^{[7] [8]}.

Direct energy blackmail and the cutting off of gas supplies (January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2009) in the middle of winter to exert pressure on the pro-Western Ukrainian government and blackmail European consumers^[3].

Publication by V. Putin of the manifesto "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians" (July 2021), which constructs a pseudo-historical myth that modern Ukraine was allegedly "created by Lenin," while historical Russia was artificially dismembered by the Bolsheviks^[3].

Use of the "union treaty" format of June 1, 1919, and December 28, 1920, not to create an equal federation but as an instrument for legalizing direct, rigid rule from Moscow^[14].

The betrayal and defection of otaman Hladky provoked the Turkish sultan into reprisals against the remaining Cossacks, which led to the final liquidation of the last free Cossack community — the Danubian Sich^[6].

The systematic dismantling of the autonomy's democratic institutions. Moscow categorically forbade the Cossacks to elect their leaders independently and to conduct an independent foreign policy: "and without a petition and without a decree of the great sovereigns... a hetman shall not be elected... nor shall they, on their own... write anything to anyone"^[2]. The abolition of the historical right to grant asylum: the autonomy was forced to perform the functions of the Muscovite punitive apparatus and to hand over fugitives: "and those fugitives and people of all ranks shall not be received, nor kept among them"^[2].

The destruction of the Cossack regiments by the Polish Sejm was a direct, time-delayed consequence of the "Eternal Peace" (1686), under which Moscow officially ceded the Right Bank to Warsaw, handing the indigenous population over for suppression^[21].

Taking advantage of the political crisis and having surrounded the autonomy's leaders with its troops, the Tsardom coerced them into signing a new, utterly enslaving treaty. This document radically curtailed the Cossacks' rights and abolished their independence: "The Articles meant the rupture of the Hadiach Agreement of 1658... and substantially narrowed the autonomy of Cossack Ukraine within the Muscovite state"^[9].

The Tsardom of Muscovy exploited the critical position of the Hetmanate to impose a format of subordination, refusing from the outset to take on symmetrical obligations. The tsar's envoy demonstratively rejected the Cossacks' demand for a mutual oath, turning the agreement into an instrument of unilateral absorption: "Buturlin refused to swear an oath on behalf of the tsar, citing the fact that the tsar does not swear oaths to his subjects. No written treaty was concluded at Pereiaslav"^[12].

The diplomatic apparatus of the Tsardom of Muscovy used loyal elites of neighboring peoples for joint armed actions against the Nokhchi societies: historian Ya. Z. Akhmadov states that in 1718 an expedition into the lands of the Nokhchi was carried out by the forces of "Kabardian princes allied with Peter I"^[5].

The diplomatic apparatus of the Tsardom of Muscovy expanded the legal subordination of Nokhchi territories: the historian Ya. Z. Akhmadov records that in 1696 the metropole formalized «the expression of Russia's protection over the Braguny principality in Chechnya»^[5].

Use of Orlyk's Tatar allies to break up the anti-Moscow coalition from within. On the Right Bank, the Tatars betrayed the Cossacks and turned to seizing the civilian population: "The betrayal of the Tatars... they dispersed across Ukraine, taking yasyr and destroying settlements"^[22].

Severing of Bessarabia from the Ottoman Empire and its official annexation by the Russian Empire under the Treaty of Bucharest of 1812^[1].

Signing of the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca. Diplomatic severing of Crimea from the Ottoman Empire through recognition of its formal "independence" in preparation for the subsequent annexation^[3].

Diplomatic collusion with Prussia and Austria, leading to the partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the liquidation of Polish statehood^[30].

The ultimatum-style refusal of the White Guard command (General Bredov) to recognize the Ukrainian army and statehood, accompanied by the statement that "Kyiv has never been Ukrainian and never will be"^[13].

The diplomatic apparatus of the Tsardom of Muscovy concluded an alliance agreement with Kalmyk forces for joint actions against the Indigenous population: historian Ya. Z. Akhmadov states that on September 30, 1708, "at the negotiations between Peter's military commander P.M. Apraksin and the Kalmyk khan Ayuka, an agreement of eight articles was concluded, including 'on the pursuit of the Chechens and Nogais'"^[5].

The diplomatic apparatus of the Russian Empire enlisted loyal forces of neighboring peoples for joint armed actions against the Nokhchi societies: historian Sh. B. Akhmadov states that the 1722 military expedition included "an armed detachment of Kalmyks, sent by Ayuka Khan at the tsar's request, numbering 3,730 men"^[26].

Coordination of actions with the pro-Soviet government of Poland to destroy the Ukrainian underground (Operation "Vistula" in 1947)^[35].

Imposition of the "Lubny Treaty" on the Zaporozhian Sich, legally codifying the transfer of the Cossacks "under the rule of Russia" with an obligation of military service to the empire^[27].

Interference in internal governance: the hetman was officially stripped of the right to punish Cossack starshyna or remove them from office without the approval and judgment of the Muscovite monarch^[20].

A categorical prohibition on the hetman conducting independent diplomacy or any relations with foreign states, aimed at completely isolating the region in the international arena^[19].

The logical culmination of the absorption process was the official partition of Ukrainian lands between the two neighboring states. The treaty was signed exclusively by representatives of Moscow and Warsaw: "On the Muscovite side the negotiations were conducted by... A. L. Ordin-Nashchokin... on the Polish side, by Commissar Jerzy Hlebowicz" ^[15]. The opinion of the autonomy itself was completely ignored: "The interests of the hetmans and of Ukraine were, of course, not taken into account" ^[4]. "For the Cossacks this is yet another blow — the decision about their fate is made behind their backs"^[3].

As soon as political interests changed, Moscow did not hesitate to conclude a separate peace with its recent enemy — Poland — cynically negotiating the division of spheres of influence behind the back of its Ukrainian ally: "In October 1656, negotiations between Russia and Poland begin in present-day Vilnius"^[3].