The Dynamics of Identity of Russian-Speaking Citizens of Ukraine Before and After the Revolution of Dignity

Abstract

The study analyzes the level of national identity of Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine within certain time frames, namely before and after the events of the Revolution of Dignity 2013-2014. The issue of national identity in Ukraine has been studied since independence, and the events of 2014 related to Euromaidan, the occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbas have become an additional catalyst for studying the creation and change of national identity in Ukrainian society. One of the most important aspects of studying the identity of Ukrainians is the analysis of the identity of Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine, who are an integral part of Ukrainian society and on which Russian propaganda, pro-Russian politicians and organizations in Ukraine worked purposefully. But the events that began in 2014 in Ukraine could have an even more significant impact on Russian-speaking citizens and therefore it is important to analyze this impact on the identity of Russian-speaking citizens, because certain changes in national identity in this group affect the political and social life of Ukraine. Sociological monitoring data from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) were used for the analysis. Sociological results published by the institute in free access were analyzed through the method of descriptive statistics. For the analysis, three indicators were selected that are relevant for determining the national identity of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine. Among them: “attitude to the independence of Ukraine”, “interpretation of one's own national identity”, “assessment of the status of the Russian language in the state”. As for the attitude to independence, in 2007 in the South and East, Russian-speaking citizens treated independence quite differently. In the south of Ukraine there was a slight advantage in support of independence, and in the east on the contrary in anti-support. In 2017, the vast majority of citizens in both the East and the South supported independence. At the point of self-identification, Russian-speaking respondents began to identify more as Ukrainians and less as Russians, but in 2014 there was uncertainty about the self-identification of Russian-speaking citizens. In relation to the status of Russian language in Ukraine until 2014, there was greater support for the status of the second state language, but after 2014, Russian-speaking citizens did not consider the status of Russian as a second state language.