Most Ukrainians believe that Ukraine was a colony of the Russian Empire – poll
Also, Ukrainians have a positive attitude towards the collapse of the USSR, and consider it responsible and complicit in the outbreak of the Second World War.
Most Ukrainians believe that the collapse of the USSR had a positive impact on the history of the Ukrainian people and agree that Ukraine was a colony of the Russian empire.
This is evidenced by the results of a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, conducted from 19 to 27 January.
Thus, the majority of Ukrainians (83%) consider the role of the collapse of the USSR to be positive in the history of the Ukrainian people. There were 13% of those who consider this event negative, another 3% were undecided. 1% said they were unaware of such an event.
The role of the Orange Revolution is assessed by 70% of Ukrainians as positive, 23% as negative, 5% are undecided, and 1% do not know about such an event. 83% rated the Revolution of Dignity as a positive event for history, 10% – as a negative one, 1% – did not decide, and 2% do not know about such an event.
Mostly negative role, according to the majority, had (in chronological order):
- the adoption of the Valuev Circular and the Emsky Decree (21% indicated that this event had a negative role, 16% – a positive one, 13% – did not decide, and 50% do not know about such an event),
- the creation of the USSR (73% – negative, 19% – positive, 7% – undecided, and 2% do not know about such an event),
- collectivization (70% – negative, 16% – positive, 6% – undecided, and 8% do not know about such an event),
- World War II (87% – negative, 8% – positive, 4% – undecided, and 1% do not know about such an event),
- Holocaust (91% – negative, 3% – positive, 4% – undecided, and 2% do not know about such an event),
- the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan (92% – negative, 4% – positive, 3% – undecided, and 1% do not know about such an event),
- the current Russian-Ukrainian war (81% – negative, 12% – positive, 6% – undecided).
Also, 64% of Ukrainians agree with the statement that Ukraine was a colony of the Russian Empire, 31% disagree, and 5% have not decided on an answer to this question.
In addition, according to the overwhelming majority (62%), Ukraine should celebrate the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation on May 8, 22% – the Day of Victory over Nazism on May 9.
At the same time, according to the results of the survey, the majority (62%) believe that on May 8/9 it is necessary to honor everyone who died or suffered in the war, 41% – everyone who during the Second World War consciously fought for an independent Ukraine against any enemies, and 32% – all those who fought against Nazism.
“The absolute majority (85%) of the inhabitants of Ukraine consider the Soviet Union responsible and complicit in the outbreak of the Second World War, including 50% – entirely, 35% – partially, indirectly complicit. The opinion that the Soviet Union was absolutely not involved in the outbreak of the Second World War world war, shared by 7%,” sociologists add.
How the survey was conducted
The survey was conducted by telephone interview among 2 thousand 004 adult residents of Ukraine on a random sample of mobile phone numbers generated randomly (random digit dialing). The study sample is representative of the adult population of Ukraine (aged 18 years and older). The statistical error of the sample does not exceed 2.2% for indicators close to 50%.
Other polls of Ukrainians
As UNIAN reported earlier, the results of a Razumkov Center poll conducted from September 22 to October 1, 2022 show that 87% of Ukrainians are now opposed to the restoration of the USSR – 18% more than a year before.
Last year, according to a survey by the Rating group, Ukrainians also showed the lowest indicator of nostalgia for the collapse of the USSR in history.
And according to the results of a survey conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation in December 2022, the majority of Ukrainians (73%) positively assess the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. However, about 12% assess this historical event negatively, and another 15% have not decided on their attitude.