D o n e t s k

Border Region to the USSR

Russian TV & Media

The War Tomorrow?

Europe’s Real Face - Rotten Inside

10 Reasons To Restore The Big Country

Donetsk

History

People, Industry, Geography, Politics etc

What’s Going On Now?

Where Does Donetsk Belong?

What to do?

History

• Scythians, nomads, others

• 14-16 century: The Wild Steppe = no settled population

• First settlements, 16 century: Ukrainian cossacks

• Later: 60-70% Ukrainians, 20% Russians, others

• Industrialisation & urbanisation: 19-20 century

People

• 4.3 millions

• 57% Ukrainians, 38% Russians, 5% others

• Many Russians came in 1950-80s

• 90% town population

• Workers at big coal-mines & factories

Geography

• Borders to 4 regions + Russia

• Azov sea

• Corridor to Moldova

• Cutting off Ukraine from the Black Sea

Industry

• Old heavy industry, coal-mines

• Huge subsidies from the national budget

• Many coal-mines closed

• Weak ability to adaptation

• Monopoly in many areas

Politics

• Resistance to modernisation

• Passivity

• Enormous corruption

• 90%+ votes for Janukovych = authoritarian rule

• Sicilia, Belarus, Chinatown

What’s Going On Now?

• Not much support to the Revolution in Kyiv

• Russian mass media

• Russian special forces + security agents

• Crimea’s occupation + Russian troops

• Regional elites: poor chances to win national elections

• Yanukovych’s & Akhmetov’s role

Where Does Donetsk Belong?

• More advantageous: Ukraine, EU

• Almost no objection to the EU before November

• Russian influence

• Regional elites want absolute local power

• Does Russia neeed a poor region? Shale gas?

• USSR-2: global dangers. Wars on Ukraine before.

What to do?

• To ”give” to Russia: benefits, disadvantages

• To ”keep”: benefits, disadvantages

• Repatriation to Russia / other innovative actions

• Visa-free traveling / other direct advantages

• NATO & EU membership

• No Putin = democratic Russia

Thank You for Your Interest!