Text resize: A A
Change contrast

Author: Roman Kabachiy

Is Ukraine multicultural or just Ukrainian with influences from other cultures?

The ability of Ukrainians to embrace their country’s diversity not only enriches their own understanding of the country but also allows them to showcase this richness to future visitors. As a nation that was itself historically subordinated to others, Ukrainians tend to be more empathetic and do not treat their own minorities with an imperialistic mindset.

Ukraine, as one of the republics of the former Soviet Union, inherited from it many stereotypical ideas that it has struggled with for decades. These include the idea that “more than 100 nationalities live on our territory,” therefore meaning that the population is inherently tolerant of others and otherness. In the Soviet times, nations and ethnic groups were mixed. Initially this was done by harsh methods of deportations of entire nations, such as Chechens, Ingush, Crimean Tatars, Germans of the Northern Black Sea coast and Volga region, or Poles from the former Polish national region, etc. 

February 28, 2025 - Roman Kabachiy

Ukrainian media reforms: One step forward, two steps back

The development of the media landscape in Ukraine has taken an unconventional approach when compared to the countries of Central Europe and other post-Soviet states. While some success in terms of reform has been noted over the past two and a half decades, many barriers for a free and open media still exist.

For the past 27 years, Ukrainian media have gone through a difficult process of transformation. This process, however, is incomplete. Instead of state propaganda, private media have now emerged and developed. In the neighbouring countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the process of creating new media was closely intertwined with the processes of the democratic transformation. The media in Ukraine, in contrast, had to compete with the new Russian media after the fall of communism, which for several years afterwards was freely available in Ukraine. Russian media was well-resourced while Ukrainian media was bereaved by the similarity of the Ukrainian and Russian languages. Therefore, paradoxically, Ukrainian media had to use Russian language in order to compete with the Russian media.

September 1, 2018 - Roman Kabachiy

The Precedent of Sentsov

On May 11th, the Russian Federal Security Services (FSB) arrested a Ukrainian film director named Oleg Sentsov. They accused him of preparing a terrorist attack in Crimea. Sentsov is a Crimean, a former businessman (he used to own a computer club and was a famous gamer) and an activist of the Simferopol AutoMaidan (the activity of the auto owners aimed at detecting titushki and thugs in the city, picketing residences of odious officials and delivering supplies to the protesters during the Maidan revolution).

May 23, 2014 - Roman Kabachiy

Ukraine vs. Yuri Barabash

Recently the Yanukovych regime in Kyiv has learned that in addition to the problems with the official Ukrainian opposition, which today consists of the Yatsenyuk-Tyahnybok-Klitschko triumvirate, it has a more serious enemy – the resistance movement at local level, the so-called “activists”.

August 22, 2013 - Roman Kabachiy

The “Fascism” of Patriots and “Antifascism” of Bandits

For historical reasons, Ukraine’s “voice” in the world media is often represented either through Russian or Polish intermediaries. The Russians exploit the powerful network of news offices which date back to Soviet times.

July 25, 2013 - Roman Kabachiy

On the Edge of Gaza

Oli and Alex, born in Ukraine, protect the Holy Land from the homemade Qassam rockets and operate a Guardium, an unmanned, all-terrain surveillance vehicle. Ukrainian-born Oli Berniker and Alex Fisher serve on the Kissufim military base in Israel not far from the Gaza Strip. Cactuses and palm trees dot the road from Jerusalem to Kissufim. […]

March 24, 2013 - Roman Kabachiy

On the Edge of Gaza

Oli and Alex, born in Ukraine, protect the Holy Land from the homemade Qassam rockets and operate a Guardium, an unmanned, all-terrain surveillance vehicle. Ukrainian-born Oli Berniker and Alex Fisher serve on the Kissufim military base in Israel not far from the Gaza Strip. Cactuses and palm trees dot the road from Jerusalem to Kissufim. […]

March 24, 2013 - Roman Kabachiy

Partners

Terms of Use | Cookie policy | Copyryight 2025 Kolegium Europy Wschodniej im. Jana Nowaka-Jeziorańskiego 31-153 Kraków
Agencja digital: hauerpower studio krakow.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. View more
Cookies settings
Accept
Decline
Privacy & Cookie policy
Privacy & Cookies policy
Cookie name Active
Poniższa Polityka Prywatności – klauzule informacyjne dotyczące przetwarzania danych osobowych w związku z korzystaniem z serwisu internetowego https://neweasterneurope.eu/ lub usług dostępnych za jego pośrednictwem Polityka Prywatności zawiera informacje wymagane przez przepisy Rozporządzenia Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady 2016/679 w sprawie ochrony osób fizycznych w związku z przetwarzaniem danych osobowych i w sprawie swobodnego przepływu takich danych oraz uchylenia dyrektywy 95/46/WE (RODO). Całość do przeczytania pod tym linkiem
Save settings
Cookies settings