How Russia plans to ‘de-Ukrainise’ captured territories
India Today
Russia has appointed new mayors in the captured cities and the process of ‘de-Ukrainisation’ and ‘Russianisation’ of the areas under Russian control has already begun.
Russian plans extend beyond the two priority demands in the negotiations - independence of Donetsk and Luhansk; and recognising Crimea as Russian territory.
Securing the Donbas region will not suffice to ensure Russian borders are safe from the “anti-Russia” and “pro-West” regime in Kyiv. Therefore, there is no intention of returning to territories in Eastern Ukraine that have been captured and go beyond the Donbas region.
India Today travelled to Zaporizhzhia Oblast, where the process of ‘de-Ukrainisation’ and ‘Russianisation’ of the areas under Russian control has already begun. These areas are under direct Russian control since the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) or Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) cannot stake claim in the areas outside of the Donbas region.
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The captured cities have new acting mayors who have been appointed by Russia, while the Ukrainian mayors either left their position, left the city, or were detained and forcibly removed. Melitopol is a classic example of a sweeping takeover. The mayor appointed by Kyiv, Igor Federov, was detained and later released. Mayor Galina Danil’chenko, who was an opposition leader with pro-Russia leanings, has now been appointed. Ukraine's prosecutor general opened a treason investigation into Danilchenko. But, the mayor sat on her chair undeterred and determined to follow through the plans of Moscow.
She explained why there was a need to break-away from Ukraine, “Historically, Zaporizhzhia was very close to Russia, not just culturally but also economically. Before 2014, when the coup d’état happened in Kyiv (change in administration after the Euromaidan protests that led to the ouster of Viktor Yanukovych), we had very close ties with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan after 2014, it was forbidden to export to Russia. Kyiv promised that European markets would buy our products, but it didn’t happen. The EU did not open up for us. Zaporizhzhia is a very big industrial city and many support economic cooperation, political engagement with the Russian Federation.”
The irony is that the ‘Victory Square’, the site of many protests and a place that celebrated Ukrainian identity, its national hero/poet Taras Shevchenko and the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag colours, is now the administrative centre for the Russians.
