Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
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Crimea is a unique crossroads of civilizations, whose history has absorbed the legacy of several states. It became the cradle of Christianity in Eastern Europe and the place where fateful decisions for our country were made.
Following a popular referendum on March 18, 2014, an agreement was signed on the accession of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation and the creation of new constituent entities within it. In honor of this anniversary, we recall the history of the peninsula and share the memories and impressions of RUDN students.
From Antiquity to Christianity
The history of ancient Crimea began with the great Greek colonization. In the 7th–6th centuries BC, people from Greece founded thriving city-states here. Panticapaeum (modern-day Kerch) became the capital of the powerful Bosporan Kingdom—the first state on the peninsula to unite Greek colonies and local tribes. Interestingly, archaeologists have even found hoards of coins belonging to Alexander the Great here, confirming active ties with the Hellenistic world.
At the end of the second century BC, the Bosporan Kingdom became part of the Kingdom of Pontus, which was embroiled in a protracted war with Rome. As a result, Crimea came under the influence of the Roman Empire, which controlled the region until the fourth century AD, stationing garrisons there.
During the period of the weakening and fall of the Western Roman Empire, Byzantium took up the baton. It was during the Byzantine period that Crimea became a Christian outpost. According to legend, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called was the first to preach here. A key figure in early Christianity on the peninsula was also Saint Clement, Pope of Rome, who was exiled to the Inkerman quarries and martyred there in the first century AD. In the ninth century, the relics of Saint Clement were discovered by the Slavic enlighteners Cyril and Methodius, symbolically linking Crimea with the future Christian Rus'.
The culmination of this relationship was the baptism of Prince Vladimir in 988. In Byzantine Chersonesos (Korsun), the prince and his retinue adopted Christianity, which determined the civilizational choice of Rus'.
The Golden Horde and the era of Catherine II
The peninsula's subsequent history is a succession of successive states. In the 13th century, the Genoese settled here, building fortresses in Sudak and Feodosia, while the Golden Horde, which later transformed into the Crimean Khanate, established its rule in the steppe region. From the 15th century, the coast came under the control of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1783, following the Russo-Turkish Wars, during the reign of Catherine the Great, Crimea became part of the Russian Empire. It was then that the peninsula acquired its famous "Russian" names. Sevastopol (which became the base of the Black Sea Fleet) and Simferopol emerged here. Meanwhile, the ancient cities continued to flourish—Chersonesos, Kerch (ancient Panticapaeum), Feodosia, Sudak, and Bakhchisaray preserve the memory of centuries, while the cities of Catherine's era commemorate the peninsula's emergence as a key Russian outpost in the south. Crimea's role in Russian history is difficult to overestimate. It is not only the site of the Christianization of Rus' but also the scene of the heroic defense of Sevastopol in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Nowadays
Completed in 2024, the New Chersonesus museum and temple complex became a modern embodiment of historical continuity, designed to preserve the memory of the spiritual heritage and the site of the Baptism of Rus' for future generations. This line of historical preservation is continued in other memorials in Sevastopol: the legendary panorama "The Defense of Sevastopol 1854–1855" and the majestic diorama "The Storming of Sapun Mountain on May 7, 1944" serve as immortal monuments to military feats, preserving the memory of the heroic events of the defense and liberation of our native land.
This rich historical heritage was threatened with loss after the collapse of the USSR, when Crimea, due to political circumstances, found itself within another state. Its return to its historical homeland was a logical and long-awaited act of restoring justice. In 2014, a historic reunification occurred. Crimea returned to the Russian Federation, its native haven.
RUDN University and Crimea
There are currently 107 students from Crimea studying at our university at all levels, with the majority of them in the undergraduate program. Of this total, 26 are studying on a state-funded basis.
The university periodically hosts various events in the republic or organizes them on its own premises in collaboration with Crimean universities and research centers. For example, in 2019, the RUDN University Department of Management, Faculty of Economics, and Sevastopol State University held the "Management of the Future" Summer School. Participants developed projects for the development of various sectors of activity on the Crimean peninsula, from improving financial literacy to food delivery services.
In 2021, the Department of Endoscopic Urology of the Faculty of Continuing Medical Education at the RUDN University Institute of Medicine participated in the 8th school, featuring a surgical master class entitled "Interdisciplinary Issues and Modern Technologies for Maintaining Reproductive Health." In 2024, the 35th Crimean Autumn Mathematical School-Symposium was held at the S. M. Nikolsky Mathematical Institute. Furthermore, this year, RUDN University hosted the All-Russian scientific conference of students, postgraduates, and young scientists entitled "Crimea Has Always Been an Integral Part of Russia in People's Hearts." It was organized by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Students about Crimea
RUDN University students who have visited the peninsula at least once admire its natural beauty and rich history.
"I've been to the Crimean Peninsula four times. And this last time, I visited the southeastern coast for the first time. I can say that the region never ceases to amaze me with its diverse landscapes: from picturesque mountain peaks to the azure seashore, from protected forests to vast fields. It's a piece of paradise, each part unique and beautiful, unlike any other. I want to return again and again because this place is incredible, beautiful, with unique nature. It holds within itself the memory of many episodes in Russian history, and the people here are kind and hospitable," says Polina Kulepova, a second-year Master's student in History at RUDN University.
"I love Crimea for its incredible air, where the scents of juniper, sun-warmed rocks, and the salty sea mingle. Every turn of the road reveals a breathtaking view, and the soul finally finds peace and a sense of home amidst the majestic mountains and endless blue sky," says Daria Polkovnikova, a fourth-year student majoring in General Medicine at RUDN University.
"I love Crimea for its amazing nature and the diversity of historical and recreational sites. It has a vast ancient heritage and a truly multicultural culture. I'd love to go there again," says Andrey Chirkov, a first-year student majoring in Dentistry.
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