The Two Parts of Ukraine’s Donbas

A survey by the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS) in November-December 2016 conducted across the whole of Donbas (ie. both the Kiev-controlled parts of the region and the occupied territories) revealed that people living through the war in eastern Ukraine were not characterised by clear-cut ethnic or political identities.

Overall, two trends stood out. First, on some issues, the gap in attitudes between the two parts of Donbas was not as wide as the current political dynamics suggested, in particular with regard to mixed identities, the causes of the war, and relations with the EU. Second, attitudes in the occupied territories were more differentiated than might have been anticipated. Mixed identities across Donbas and a wide range of preferences regarding the status of the area in the occupied territories were factors of which Ukrainian, Western, and Russian policymakers should take note.

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 13.02.17: The Voices of the Displaced in Ukraine and Russia http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-voices-of-the-displaced-in-ukraine-and-russia/

Center for East European and International Studies (ZOiS) http://en.zois-berlin.de/

ESO: Background information: What Do Ukrainians Actually Think? http://www.europeansources.info/record/what-do-ukrainians-actually-think/

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