Last year’s popular uprising that ousted disgraced ex-President Viktor Yanukovych is often referred to as the Revolution of Dignity. It appears that the public’s self-respect has indeed surged as Russia's war against Ukraine has united the country.
A record 67 percent of the public say they are proud
to be Ukrainian, the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Sociology found
in a nationwide survey conducted in July.
The findings surpassed last year’s national pride record
of 61 percent, following the EuroMaidan Revolution. The previous high had been 53
percent in 2005, when the public voted in Viktor
Yushchenko as president in the wake of the Orange Revolution after a rigged election favored Kremlin-backed
Viktor Yanukovych’s failed candidacy in late 2004.
Regionally, Ukrainians are most proud in the west (80
percent), and least proud in the Donbas oblasts (45 percent) of Luhansk and
Donetsk.
The survey’s 1,802 respondents were questioned outside
of occupied Crimea and Russian-separatist controlled areas of Donbas.
Regional breakdown of national pride
West | Center | South | East | Donbas | |
Absolutely not proud | 4.9 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 5.7 | 10.3 |
Most likely not proud | 4.0 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 12.0 | 13.3 |
Most likely proud | 52.3 | 55.3 | 49.2 | 48.4 | 30.9 |
Very proud | 27.5 | 16.0 | 16.2 | 10.7 | 14.5 |
Difficult to say | 11.3 | 17.2 | 22.5 | 23.2 | 30.9 |
Source: Ilko Kucheriv Democratic
Initiatives Foundation, nationwide survey (excluding Russian-occupied Crimea
and areas of Donbas) of 1,802 respondents conducted on June 26-July 18.
Most people consider themselves citizens of Ukraine
(58 percent), with 23 percent identifying first with their city or town of
residence, and only 6 percent with a particular region.
Provincial or regional identification prevails in
Donbas where 39 percent consider themselves first to be Ukrainian citizens, while
either 25 percent identify with a municipality or 20 percent with their
region.
It appears Ukrainians want more authority and
functions devolved to regional governments with 42 percent favoring a unitary
state with expanded regional powers, while 37 percent prefer status quo.
Only 8 percent favor a federalized government, a
territorial structure that Russia has been endorsing.
Ukrainian
national pride by select year
2002 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2008 | 2010 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | |
Absolutely not proud | 6.6 | 8.9 | 5.2 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 7.9 | 9.3 | 5.1 | 5.0 |
Most likely not proud | 11.5 | 15.8 | 9.7 | 12.5 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 14.1 | 15.5 | 6.0 | 8.5 |
Most likely proud | 30.9 | 30.0 | 38.4 | 33.2 | 36.6 | 38.4 | 35.0 | 38.1 | 36.8 | 50.2 |
Very proud | 10.1 | 7.7 | 15.3 | 11.9 | 13.9 | 11.1 | 7.7 | 9.6 | 23.9 | 17.1 |
Difficult to say | 40.9 | 37.7 | 31.4 | 35.2 | 30.5 | 31.4 | 35.3 | 27.5 | 28.2 | 19.2 |
Source: Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives
Foundation, nationwide survey (excluding Russian-occupied Crimea and areas of
Donbas) of 1,802 respondents conducted on June 26-July 18.
Ukraine’s declaration of independence in 1991 was
deemed the most positive historical national moment among 37 percent of
respondents, followed by the allied victory in World World War II (31 percent).
Kozak leader Bohdan Khmelnytsky was chosen as one of
three most positive historical figures by 29 percent of the public, followed by
Ukraine’s post-World War I president Mykhailo Hrushevsky (21 percent) and
Kyivan-Rus Prince Volodymyr the Great (18 percent).
The most negatively assessed historical figures
relating to Ukraine were ex-President Viktor Yanukovych (51 percent), followed
by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin (42 percent), and Vladimir Lenin and
ex-President Viktor Yushchenko tied with 19 percent.
The survey was conducted in cooperation with the Intelektualna Perspektyva charity foundation and commissioned by the
Democratic Initiatives policy center.
Kyiv Post editor Mark Rachekvych
can be reached at [email protected].
