16.11.2010
What Ukrainians and Russians are proud of and what patriotism means to them
- The vast majority of both Ukrainians and Russians identify themselves as patriots, at 76% and 84% respectively. At the same time, among Ukrainians there are twice as many respondents as among Russians who were unable to answer the question of whether they consider themselves patriots. In Russia, self-declared patriots are most common among residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg, while in Ukraine they are most prevalent in the Central, Northern and Western regions. Only about one in ten respondents in both countries said they do not feel patriotic, with this more typical of residents of small towns in Russia and of Donbas in Ukraine. Urban residents in Ukraine are generally less patriotic than rural residents, and in both countries younger people are the least patriotic, while older respondents show the strongest patriotic sentiment.
- For Ukrainians, the main sources of pride in their country are the place where they were born and raised and the land on which they live. For Russians, by contrast, the country’s historical past is the dominant source of pride. Russians are also more likely than Ukrainians to take pride in their literature and arts and in military strength, while Ukrainians more often express pride in prominent people of their nationality, the state they live in, the character of their people, their language, their work ethic, national traditions, and religion. In both countries similar shares take pride in national symbols and in sporting achievements, while Ukrainians are somewhat more likely to take pride in ancestors and family heritage.
- Regional differences within Ukraine are pronounced. In the South, pride is most often linked to birthplace; in the Center to work ethic; in the West to language and religion; in the East to the character of the people; and in Donbas to sporting achievements. Residents of Donbas, the South and the East are more likely than others to cite historical past as a source of pride, while those in the Center more often cite great national figures.
- For many respondents in both countries, true patriotism is expressed through respect for traditions. Russians more often associate patriotism with strengthening the family and raising children, while Ukrainians more often see it in political participation, support for patriotic parties, involvement in patriotic organizations, and constructive criticism of their country’s shortcomings. In both countries, work done with full dedication and the celebration of historical events are also widely viewed as expressions of patriotism. These views vary by age and region: for example, residents of Western Ukraine more often link patriotism to political engagement and civic participation, while those in Donbas more often associate it with respect for traditions.
- A majority of both Ukrainians and Russians primarily identify themselves as citizens of their respective countries. At the same time, Ukrainians are more likely than Russians to define themselves through their region or locality and through their national identity. This is especially pronounced in Western and Central Ukraine, while residents of the South and Donbas more often define themselves by their region or simply as “a person.” A small minority in both countries still identify themselves as Soviet people, more often in Russia than in Ukraine. Smaller shares in both countries define themselves through family roles, profession, religion, cosmopolitan identity, or as Europeans.
Methodology
- Survey organization: Rating Group (Ukraine) and VCIOM (Russia).
- Survey population: adult population aged 18 and older.
- Sample size (Ukraine): 2,000 respondents.
- Sample size (Russia): 1,600 respondents.
- Method: face-to-face formalized interview using a structured questionnaire.
- Sampling error (Ukraine): no more than 3.0% for values close to 50%, no more than 2.6% for values close to 30%, and no more than 1.8% for values close to 10%.
- Sampling error (Russia): no more than 3.4%.
- Fieldwork dates (Ukraine): 9–16 September 2010.
- Fieldwork dates (Russia): 5–6 June 2010.
- West: Volyn, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Rivne, Ternopil, Chernivtsi.
- Center: Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy.
- North: Kyiv city, Kyiv region, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Chernihiv.
- South: Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Odesa, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Sevastopol.
- East: Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv.Donbas: Donetsk, Luhansk.
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