EuroMaidan Protests: A Few Eastern Perspectives

For the last full month, protesters have stood in the main square of Kiev in what started over a botched trade union deal with the EU but now more broadly demonstrates displeasure over Russia's influence in the country, general unhappiness with the current administration, and the deepening schism between East and West about what it means to be Ukrainian. You can't live any further east than I do, and the following (while not my opinions) are true conversations I've heard first hand since this whole thing started in November.

Elderly teacher, in the office:

Sure, I agree with the protesters, but their tactics are ridiculous. Why stand around in the cold doing nothing? They should sit down together and negotiate rather than freezing and yelling, accomplishing nothing.

University student, posted on social media:

This conflict isn't about economics, culture, Russia, the trade deal, or Timoshenko. This is about the fact that our government is criminal and incompetent. President Yanukovich has been in jail already, and is supported by his mafia family. The Prime Minister is so devoted to Russia that he can't even speak our national language. Nothing short of a regime change will end these protests.

Worker, at the House of Culture:

Western Ukrainians have no right to make demands. All the industry, all the jobs, all the money: it's in the east. We work, and they live. We're the ones who actually defended our homeland in WWII. Meanwhile, Westerners greeted the Nazis with bread and salt, to this day celebrating collaborators like Stepan Bandera. I'll be proud of my country when we have a decent wage. Until then, I'm not changing languages, I'm not praising Shevchenko. We were better off when we were close to Russia's great strength. Why abandon that relationship for Europe?

Young teacher, in the cafeteria:

I support the opposition leader. I think he's very smart and I hope he will be our president soon. However, the Party of Regions was offering almost a thousand gryvnia for participation in their pro-government protest. It didn't accomplish anything, it wasn't ever going to accomplish anything, but why leave money on the table? I suspect the anti-government protest is the same way. None of this would exist if people weren't being paid. This is just a new way to earn money in our country.

Worker, at the House of Culture:

I don't really care for these political issues. I just want to live my life and not argue about whether or not bread prices would increase if we signed the agreement with the EU. However, I don't think Ukraine should ever have existed. We have no common identity, no common history. We were able to unite against a common enemy during WWII, but now we don't understand each other. It would be better for everyone if we were two different countries.

Elderly teacher, in the office:

We must join with Europe. It is the only way forward. With Russia, we will always be kept down. They will never see us as an equal nation, but always as one that they used to control. With Europe we have a chance to play on an even field. Russia only wants to use us: to use our port on the Black Sea, to use our factories, to sell us the oil that they've stolen from Kazakhstan. We must leave this relationship and start fresh with Western Europe. It worked so well for Poland, after all.

These are a few of the mixed opinions here in the East. Though the oblast as a whole is much less political and engaged in this conflict than other oblasts are, I hope this can help characterise the details of the conflict. To my volunteer friends in the West, who can from time to time be quick to judge the Donbas, I hope this shows that there are all sorts of people out here, and most of them are not dyed in the wool fans of this administration. As for my own opinion? I'll never tell. As I'm not Ukrainian, it's not my place to say what this country should or shouldn't do. They have to find their own common goals and make choices for their own future. All I can say is that I hope only the best for Ukraine. Счастье, здоровья, спокойства, достатка.

I mean, who couldn't love this country?