Oksana Mitrofanova
Ph.D. in Political Science
Oksana Mitrofanova, a Ukrainian political scientist who is now in France, explains on the pages of local media, in particular, in her article in Liberation, that despite the brutality of the war, relations between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and civil society have never been so trusting and unanimous about membership in the European Union.
Many Western civilian and military analysts believed that Ukraine would last only 3–4 days (after the Russian attack — ed.), a maximum of two weeks. That is, the situation seemed to be completely hopeless, and Ukraine was doomed. However, within hours, Ukrainian society turned into a well-coordinated organism capable of counteracting the aggressor. While the body fights a foreign infection, as we know, with the help of leukocytes, in the case of Ukraine, it is its Armed Forces that have become “leukocytes” capable of defending Ukrainians and their State. The support for the army has become such a natural part of the life of Ukrainians that it does not even occur to them to analyze this aspect.
By the way, French post- graduate student Julien Plouchart, who was in Kyiv in February 2022, at the beginning of the Russian invasion, says that in the first hours of the war he watched as the Ukrainian society began to realize that the fate of the nation was closely connected with the army. The Ukrainian population was then fully identified with its Armed Forces. Successful, which became popular, stories about the Ghost of Kyiv and thirteen soldiers from the island of Zmiyinyi further confirmed the readiness of Ukrainians to resist the Russian invasion with weapons in their hands. Many ordinary civilian Ukrainians joined the Territorial Defense and defended their hometowns and villages. Many of them subsequently joined the regular army.
No matter how hard this war was, the strength of the people’s support for Ukrainian military did not diminish. The Armed Forces of Ukraine remain in the minds of Ukrainian citizens the guarantor of the survival of the Ukrainian people. The relationship between the army and the nation was stronger than ever. According to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology published on January 13, 2023, the level of Ukrainians’ trust in the Armed Forces reached 96 percent (compared to 72 percent a year ago). And the second position in the rating of trust was confidently taken by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Ukrainian volunteers with an indicator of 84 %.
After the constant shelling of Ukrainian citizens by the Russian army, after the Russian soldiers’ tortures of citizens in Bucha, Irpin and other cities of Ukraine, Ukrainians’ aversion to Russia became quite logical. A survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology dated September 7–13, 2022 showed that the vast majority — 80 % of respondents — would not allow Russians to Ukraine even as tourists.
Ukrainians’ commitment to EU membership is nothing new. According to a study by the RATING group, published on October 3, 2022, 86 % of respondents would support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union in the event of a referendum (3 % would be against, 7 % would not vote). Support for EU accession is unanimous among representatives of all macro-regions and age groups, sociologists say. But there is also a record support by Ukrainians for joining NATO, which is now the highest in the history of surveys: in the referendum, this initiative would be supported by 83 % (4 % would be against, 9 % would not vote).
An important element of Ukrainian resistance is the resilience of the population. For example, in Kyiv, an air alarm siren sounds every day, often at night. The whole country is subject to regular bombardment, rocket and kamikaze drones attacks. The neighborhoods are dark as a result of turning off electricity, and then a very specific rumble of generators begins, which save Ukrainians’ daily life. Hospitals, pharmacies, shops, critical infrastructure facilities need electrical power, because urgent operations cannot be postponed, and medicines and food without refrigerators can deteriorate. Technicians who repair the damaged by bombing electricity networks work day and night, constantly risking their lives. And already up to a hundred of them have died.
Source: Vladimir Kazanevsky/Liberation
The war divided many Ukrainian families. Many women and children, becoming refugees, ended up in different countries. The United Nations reports that as of January 31, 2023, 4 million 823 thousand citizens of Ukraine have received refuge in European countries. In addition, about 3 million Ukrainians are on the territory of the Russian Federation. It is currently completely unknown how the fate of these refugees will turn out, whether they will ever be able to return home (destroyed homes and lost work are additional burdensome factors).
The population that found itself in the occupied territories is in a very difficult situation. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on February 8, 2023 that in the settlements of Kherson region, Russian occupation forces resort to daily searches, atrocities and rob local residents, stealing household appliances, telephones and valuables. Besides, filtering measures threaten citizens who will not receive Russian passports until March (which cannot be considered legal — author), and Ukrainian civil servants who refuse to cooperate with the Russian occupation administration.
But despite all the horrors of war and an uncertain future, in the New Year Ukrainians wished themselves victory, and only then — peace. Whereas most of my foreign friends and colleagues wished me peace. Such a difference in wishes underlines the determination of the Ukrainian society to achieve victory, the only condition for true, lasting peace.
Source: Liberation
