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Re:What is really happening in Ukraine by dimitar on Monday January 27, 2014 @01:18PM (#7132015)
I upvoted this comment due to its honesty, but I disagree that Ukraine needs dividing.

Let me bring up some points:

* Why should apolitical people have their country divided?

* Ukraine isn't divided by language, practically everyone can use both to a different extent and there is no miscommunication. The language that you use most of the time doesn't have to match your politics and often doesn't.

* ~80% percent of the population identifies as simply as Ukrainian with majorities in both parts of the country.

* No part of the country is "mostly inhabited by Russians that gravitate towards Moscow". Even in the Crimea the self-identifying Russians don't have 50% of the population.

* The Yes vote in 1991 for Ukrainian independence from the USSR: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ukr_Referendum_1991.png

* 55% of ethnic Russians supported independence from Russia and they remember, are around 17% of the population.

* With the return of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians from other parts of the USSR and withdrawal of Soviet troops if there was a confirming referendum today if anything the percentage would be bigger.

* Otherwise the culture is pretty much common to all Ukrainians.

* Religion isn't that different - people actually self-identify as Christian or East Orthodox and the traditions are the same all over the country. Even the Greek-Catholics (10% of population) are really much more Orthodox than Catholic.

Re:What is really happening in Ukraine by strlen on Monday January 27, 2014 @04:09PM (#7133243)
Indeed. What I see happening is young and liberal Ukrainians (whethers Russian, Ukranian, Tatar, and others) simply want their state to be like many other European countries: free, prosperous, democratic, but still multi-ethnic. In fact, they're actually asking for surrender of some aspects of national sovereignty by joining the EU.
Re:What is really happening in Ukraine by dmytrish on Monday January 27, 2014 @01:53PM (#7132280)
I agree with all your points with a minor exception: Crimea does have more than 50% Russians[0] - it's the only region that has more Russians than Ukrainians.

[0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimea#Demographics

Re:What is really happening in Ukraine by dimitar on Monday January 27, 2014 @04:53PM (#7133547)
Point taken, it appears that in Crimea 58% percent is Russian according to the 2001 census.