Vast majority of Ukrainians oppose merging with Russia

Only 3.1 percent of Ukrainians support merging their oblast (region) with the Russian Federation, reported on Jan. 3 the zn.ua news site, which ordered a poll performed by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. The vast majority of Ukrainians, or 88.3%, oppose merging with Russia, including 94.0% against merging in the western regions, 98.1% against in the central regions, 93.3% against in the southern regions and 81.5% against in the eastern regions.

No one polled in the Russian-oriented port city of Odesa wants to merge with Russia, which was the same result in the western region of Halychyna and southern region of Kherson. Only 2.6% of Ukrainians want independence for their region from the Ukrainian state. The poll was conducted between Dec. 4 and 19 involving 3,035 respondents in 179 population centers in Ukraine. In the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, it was conducted only in those territories controlled by the Ukrainian government.

Zenon Zawada: Ironically, Russian President Putin’s decision to invade and occupy Ukrainian land put an end to the “Novorossiya” geopolitical project he simultaneously declared, having in mind the goal of creating a loyal independent state in southeastern Ukraine. Not only did his aggression solidify the concept of Ukrainian statehood, but it places doubt on the future of the Russian Federation’s statehood instead.

Even if the Ukrainian government collapses in 2015, which we view as possible but among the less likely outcomes, Ukrainians will remain committed to the idea of a Ukrainian state independent of Russia. Any Russian attempt to recapture geopolitical control of Ukraine this year will have to occur as a military occupation, which won’t be feasible for an extended period of time. In essence, Putin has ensured the future of an independent Ukraine through his attempts to eliminate it.