Block, Siteadmin, SkipCaptcha, Upload, Automoderated users, delete, edit, move, nsTeam2RO, nsTeam2RW, nsTeam2_talkRO, nsTeam2_talkRW, protect, rollback, Administrators, template
293,505
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 18:
Line 18: + + +
→History
The coup government launched a civil war against the separatists, whom they called “terrorists.” In essence the Donbass was defending their democratic rights to vote, as a majority of the region voted for Yanukovych, in an election certified by the [[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]] (OSCE).
The coup government launched a civil war against the separatists, whom they called “terrorists.” In essence the Donbass was defending their democratic rights to vote, as a majority of the region voted for Yanukovych, in an election certified by the [[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]] (OSCE).
Before his overthrow, President Yanukovych maintained cordial relations with Russia. However, that changed drastically after the Maidan coup, with the new government not only attempting to tie itself to [[the West]], but also aggressively suppressing any pro-Russian sentiment.<ref>https://www.mintpressnews.com/documents-reveal-us-ned-spent-22m-promoting-anti-russia-narrative-ukraine/279734/</ref> Since 2014, the Kyiv regime has shut down Russian-language media and jailed pro-Russian voices.<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/5/ukraines-president-bans-pro-russian-networks-risking-support</ref> It has also banned the Russian language from schools and in public places such as in stores and restaurants.<ref>https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210401-new-law-stokes-ukraine-language-tensions</ref> Any business caught violating the law is subject to a fine.
This has caused significant consternation inside the country, not least because almost one-third of Ukrainian citizens speak Russian as their first language, and significant minorities do not speak Ukrainian at all.<ref>https://translatorswithoutborders.org/language-data-for-ukraine</ref> This is particularly true in the Donbas and in the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed to Russia by plebiscite in 2014. In both regions, Russian is by far the majority language, spoken by nearly three-quarters of the population.
The Donbas is a target for not only the Ukrainian government but for NED as well. The word “Donbas” is referenced 52 times in the 334 one-paragraph grants noted above, while eastern Ukraine is mentioned 108 times and Crimea 22 times. The projects are full of coded references to “expanding outreach” of media outlets into the Donbas, or, even more alarmingly, to “assisting” civil groups “working in the front line territories of the Donbas” — a statement so vague that it could mean anything from health workshops to funneling weapons.
===Odessa Trade Unions House massacre===
===Odessa Trade Unions House massacre===