Reviving Novorossiya: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Under International Law

Authors

Abstract

Abstract: For nearly three years, the Eastern European nation of Ukraine has been entangled in a war it did not instigate, did not desire, but was forced into by its more powerful neighbor, Russia. Since the onset of the war, Russia has faced accusations of widespread atrocities, including severe violations of human rights, international humanitarian law, and breaches of other international norms. Following the inauguration of United States (US) President Donald Trump, there has been a renewed effort to bring both parties to the negotiating table and end the conflict. With the ongoing negotiations, there is no better time to investigate and place Russia’s actions in the correct legal context regarding this war than now. Thus, this article examines Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent conflict. The article’s analysis is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on a contextual analysis of the concept of “Novorossiya” and how this centuries-old idea was revived by Russia to rally ethnic Russians in Ukraine in support of its invasion. The second part conducts an extensive legal analysis of the invasion, concentrating on the legal framework governing the prohibition of the use of force under Article 2 (4) of the United Nations (UN) Charter and the scope of the right to self-defence under Article 51. In the context of these two doctrines, it reviews Russia’s justifications for invading Ukraine, specifically the claim of collective self-defence in support of the alleged Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. A key question the article addresses is whether Russia’s claim of collective self-defence and its assertion of protecting the Russian-speaking people of eastern Ukraine is legally sustainable in international law. It concludes that Russia’s actions constitute a clear violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty as well as territorial integrity and that its justification for using force lacks legal merit. Based on its analysis, the article concludes that there are sufficient grounds to pursue justice to uphold international law, maintain its credibility, and deter similar acts of aggression in the future.

First Page

1

Recommended Citation

Reviving Novorossiya: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Under International Law, 35 Wash. Int’l L.J. 1 (2026).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wilj/vol35/iss1/4