This map of Ukraine has been doing the rounds and it points to a clear dividing line in Ukraine.
The reality is much more complicated.
First of all, ‘Russian speaking majority’ includes many people who also speak Ukranian and in many of those areas, Ukranian is the language spoken at home.
This is a more accurate representation, albeit still dated:
The Globe & Mail has five ways to split Ukraine but says that none of them work. Some points to ponder:
- Ethnic Russians are a minority in all parts of Ukraine except Crimea.
- Ethnic Russians are concentrated in cities which makes protests look more dramatic and one-sided
- The stats are from the 2001 census and in the 13 years since, much has changed with young people more comfortable with Ukraine and less reminiscent of Russia.
The underlying problem (as it always is) is that Ukraine’s economy is in shambles.