War and the City: Urban Agglomerations in Russia’s Conquest of Donbas - Seminar recap
On January 16th, 2025 the OHPA hosted its first seminar of the year with Dr. Serhiy Kudelia, Associate Professor of Political Science at Baylor University. His talk centered on the Russo-Ukrainian War, with a particular focus on the 2014 conflict in Donbas, drawing from the arguments presented in his book, Seize the City, Undo the State. He examined the underlying causes of the war, contrasting macro-level theories—which emphasize Russian intervention and local uprisings—with a micro-level analysis of urban centers in Donbas.
Dr. Kudelia highlighted the region’s dense urban landscape and the role of local officials in enabling separatist control through coercion and collaboration. His talk covered the structural and historical factors shaping Donbas, from its industrialization to the strategic role of urban geography in the conflict. He argued that insurgents capitalized on the region’s close-knit urban centers to quickly spread their influence, leveraging local grievances, weak law enforcement, and power vacuums. Introducing the concept of “urbanicide”—the deliberate destruction of cities to erase cultural and political identities—he explained how Russia’s wartime strategy aimed not only at territorial conquest but also at dismantling the social fabric of Ukrainian cities.
Dr. Kudelia concluded with reflections on Ukraine’s post-war challenges, particularly the future prospects for reconstruction and political stabilization.
The full talk as well as the subsequent discussion is available to view on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/Pql3VnWHVDk