title: 179“Novorossiya” in Russian spatial imaginaries from Catherine II to Putin
abstract: Novorossiya" in Russian spatial imaginaries from Catherine II to PutinThe Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 has again drawn attention to the geopolitical aims of President Vladimir Putin in the states of the former Soviet Union, the "Near Abroad" as it is defined in Russian political discourse.Most significantly, a number of scholars has tried to answer the reasons of Russian military interference in Ukraine.The first wave of overviews was provoked by the annexation of Crimea and 