Ukrainians, the State, and Political Disconnection

As of late October 2024, uncertainty about the prospects for ending the over-10-year war in Europe remains a key factor in encouraging the aggressive behavior of Putin’s Russia and its allies. North Korea’s de facto entry into the war leaves no doubt about the global nature of the confrontation, in which a group of authoritarian states is trying to destroy the world order that is based on respect for international law and the inviolability of borders, and, instead, establish a new world order where the right of force dominates.

Ukrainians have a neutral attitude towards their compatriots who went abroad and those who stay in Ukraine. The most favorable attitude is expressed towards those who joined the army and stopped consuming Russian content, while the most negative attitude is towards those who evade military service and consume Russian information products.

Findings of the study by the Civil Network OPORA and the Kyiv School of Economics, conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

The study aimed to determine the degree of affective polarization in Ukrainian society. Unlike ideological polarization, which arises from differences in political or ideological positions, affective polarization describes the growth of social and emotional distance from other groups. It explains why cohesion and benevolence between different groups and individuals decrease. As part of the study, we assumed that Ukrainian society is divided into a certain number of groups according to their experience gained after the outbreak of a full-scale invasion. 

Due to Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, huge numbers of Ukrainian citizens were forced to leave their homes and went abroad in search of shelter. In response to an information request from the Civil Network OPORA, the Department of Consular Service reported that according to estimates of foreign diplomatic missions in Ukraine, as of May 2024, about 7.6 million Ukrainian citizens were staying outside Ukraine. This creates risks of integration of our citizens abroad and loss of communication with Ukraine, including through the acquisition of foreign citizenship. Therefore, OPORA continues to study the impact of forced migration and its consequences to develop an effective policy of repatriation of Ukrainian people.

OPORA analyst Olha Snopok presented a study on the impact of Russian cultural policy on Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories and attempts to influence Ukrainian identity on September 26, during the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

According to various estimates, up to 20% of Ukraine's population may now be abroad. However, the Ukrainian state and international institutions that calculate migration publish different data. To systematically receive updates on this information, compare it chronologically, and monitor migration trends, Civil Network OPORA created a dashboard.