more Ukraine research and thoughts.

[Martin Dietze]

1On Thu, 27 Jan 2022 at 12:37, Johnny Marr <marrja at gmail.com> wrote:

> One thing I have to disagree with Martin over: the cultural divide between
> residents of Ukraine who would consider themselves Russian and those who
> would consider themselves is a very real thing.
>

I strongly disagree. There are very few Ukrainians considering themselves
Russian. Overestimating their number and also overestimating regional
differences within the country is a mistake many foreigners make, because
from some perspective this may just "fit into the picture" (and Russia has
actually very carefully masked their invasion to the country's East as an
"insurgency", so that if people sceptical towards "Western narratives" tend
to consider this as a proof of their assumption on Ukrainian society).

On the "Ukrainians condering themselves Russian". In the parts of Eastern
Ukraine not under occupation there is no noticable support for a union with
Russia or separatism. In the occupied territories there is no way to know
how people feel because since 2014 they have had no possibility to express
their preferences freely and without risking their lives. Assuming that
there is a significant difference in preferences just along the front line
(which is the result of the war, not of any public polls), seems rather
far-fetched.

On the regional differences. There are regional differences (however they
are far less significant than e.g. the difference between the old
generation grown up in Soviet Union vs. those grown up in independent
Ukraine). Like in most countries. I guess most here on the list are based
in the US, and with those of your countrymen I have got to know in my life
in mind I might say that regional differences in Ukraine are not bigger
than differences between people living in New York to people living in,
say, Houston, most likely they are actually even significantly smaller.
Just the "scale" of differences, not their particular kind. In particular
after Russia had launched its war in Ukraine, people throughout the country
have got more united than ever.

Cheers,

m.