The Myth “Crimea is Ours”: Historical Origins, Main Stages of Formation, and a Ukrainian Studies Model of its Deconstruction

The relevance of the study is due to the urgent need for a thorough analysis and deconstruction of imperial historical narratives that are actively distributed in the modern Russian public discourse and information space, in particular, revealing the origins of the myth “Crimea is ours”, the stages of its formation and the search for approaches to its refutation in the Ukrainian studies context. Despite a significant number of scientific works on the history of Crimea, a comprehensive Ukrainian analysis of the myth “Crimea is ours” still remains on the margins, and insufficient attention is paid to its understanding. This problem requires a more systematic scientific consideration, in particular in the context of studying the influence of historical manipulation and mythologizing on the formation of public consciousness and the justification of aggressive Russian foreign policy actions. This study is aimed at a more profound understanding of the processes of myth-making related to the issue of Crimea, as well as at developing effective tools to counteract its further expansion in the Ukrainian information space. The purpose of the article is a comprehensive analysis of the historical origins of the formation of the myth "Crimea is ours", the stages of its evolution, and the development of a Ukrainian-scientific model that allows for effective demythologizing of this myth with an emphasis on its contextual and cultural-historical aspects. Conclusions. Based on the results of our research, we can state that the mythologeme “Crimea is ours” has deep historical roots and was formed over a long period. Its basis is imperial ideological narratives, not objective historical facts. The thousand-year history of the Crimean Peninsula convincingly demonstrates that it has a multiethnic, multicultural, and polycentric nature of development. This region has always been a space of interaction of different civilizations, states and peoples, which does not give grounds for considering the history of Crimea through a Russian-centric approach. Having studied the historical prerequisites and factors that contributed to the formation of the imperial myth “Crimea is ours”, its ideological foundations were determined, the main stages of its development were identified and systematized. Based on the results obtained, a model was developed that allows us to effectively expose the myth of “Crimea is ours”. This is possible only if a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach is applied, which combines elements of historical, international legal, socio-cultural, political and information and communication analysis. Thus, Crimea is an integral part of the historical and political space of Ukraine, whose history was formed through the complex interactions of different peoples and states and not as a result of "primordial Russian belonging." Future research in this area should focus on deepening the systematic Ukrainian studies analysis of the Crimean issue, which combines the examination of historical facts, demographic studies, legal aspects and critical review of political statements. We should also improve methods of countering information manipulation and integrating scientific knowledge into the sphere of public history and ensuring national security. This will make it possible to identify ideological speculations, separate them from the real historical picture, and contribute to the formation of an objective view of Crimea as an integral part of Ukraine.