Presentation on the Donetsk region: Russian invasion and separatists. April 2014.

1. D o n e t s k
Border Region to the USSR

2. Russian TV & Media
The War Tomorrow?
Europe’s Real Face - Rotten Inside
10 Reasons To Restore The Big Country

3. Donetsk
History
People, Industry, Geography, Politics etc
What’s Going On Now?
Where Does Donetsk Belong?
What to do?

4. 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

7. 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

8. Geography
• Borders to 4 regions + Russia
• Azov sea
• Corridor to Moldova
• Cutting off Ukraine from the Black Sea

13. Industry
• Old heavy industry, coal-mines
• Huge subsidies from the national budget
• Many coal-mines closed
• Weak ability to adaptation
• Monopoly in many areas

19. Politics
• Resistance to modernisation
• Passivity
• Enormous corruption
• Under Yanukovych = authoritarian rule
• Sicilia, Belarus, Chinatown

20. 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

26. 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.

27. 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

28. Thank You for Your Interest!