Ukrainian Scholar to Speak on War's Roots & Resilience at ASU

SAN ANGELO, TX - Angelo State University's Slavic Enrichment Program will host a presentation by Dr. Tetiana Klynina, an associate professor at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, March 3, in the ASU Academic Building at 2502 Dena Drive.

Titled "War in Ukraine: Historical Roots, National Resilience, and the Fight for Democracy," the presentation will begin at 6 p.m. in Room 135 of the Academic Building and is free and open to the public.

During her presentation, Klynina will explore Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, placing it within the broader context of centuries of imperial domination and Ukraine's struggle for independence. She will also discuss who Ukrainians are, why they fight - not merely for their own territory, but for their right to exist as a nation and preserve their identity - and how the war has transformed the country while strengthening its resolve. Additionally, she will address the nature of Russian aggression, Ukraine's remarkable resilience, and what this war means for the future of democracy and international order.

A Ukrainian historian who received her Ph.D. in world history in 2013, Klynina is the author of more than 50 scholarly articles and publications. Her research interests focus on American foreign policy and diplomacy, particularly the role of the U.S. Department of State during the Cold War, as well as the history of Ukrainian statehood, culture and foreign policy.

In addition to teaching, Klynina completed a research fellowship at the National Archives of Finland (2019) and served as Senior Research Fellow at the University of Texas (2022-26) affiliated with the Clements Center for National Security and the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies. She received a fellowship at the New Europe College in Bucharest, Romania, and in fall 2026, she will teach a course on Ukrainian History and conduct research at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., as a Petrach Program Fellow.

Klynina's ASU presentation is sponsored by the Natalie Zan Ryan Department of English and Modern Languages and the ASU Slavic Club (formerly the ASU Russian Club). ASU's Slavic Enrichment Program hosts guest speakers and other presentations during each academic year to encourage the study of Slavic languages and culture.