Maidan's heroes Bandera and Shukhevich are traitors and murderers for Eastern Ukraine - historian - The Voice of Russia

Donetsk as the capital of Ukraine's main industrial region, Donbass, is at the frontline of the protest. The residents of that pro-Russian region demand a referendum on the status of Donetsk Region in the face of the sharp rise of neo-fascist moods and actions. The only thing that can now stop Ukraine from falling apart is federalization. However, the illegitimate authorities in Kiev are insensitive to this healthy and pragmatic idea.

Today about five million people populate Donetsk Region, with three quarters considering Russian to be their native language. It is Ukraine's key industrial region, on the territory of which the largest coal mining, machine building, metallurgical and chemical enterprises are located. The country's Western regions, the population of which, surprising as it might seem, often feels condescending contempt and open hatred towards Donbass residents, live largely at the expense of this region. The thing is that the so-called true Ukrainian patriots consider the residents of Donbass to be "Russia's agents", which means enemies.

Unfortunately, it is meaningless to look for some rationale in such ideas. Where exaltation rules, there is no place for reason. However, the Ukrainian nationalists have a point to some extent: the region's population is leaning towards its historic motherland – Russia. And that is quite understandable, for it became part of Ukraine only in the Soviet era. Prior to that it had been a part of the Russian Empire. Vladimir Kornilov, director of the Center for Eurasian Studies, believes that the East of Ukraine, Donetsk region to be specific, differs greatly if not completely from the country's West.

"The saddest thing for the modern Ukrainian statesmen is the fact that they have been explaining for too long why a resident of Donbass differs from a resident of adjacent Rostov-on-Don, who in reality are very much alike. They have supposedly explained what the difference is. But now a resident of Donbass looks at a completely different resident of Galicia and understands that there are even more differences between them. Those includes the language, religion, attitude towards history and its heroes, as well as the geopolitical choice. There are two different Ukraines, which have trouble co-existing in the framework of the unitary state of Ukraine," he said. 

Complete story at - Maidan's heroes Bandera and Shukhevich are traitors and murderers for Eastern Ukraine - historian - The Voice of Russia