Memory and Identity in Donbas: The Battle of Narratives in 2004-2014

• In Event: Donbas: Memory of the Region and Regions of Memory

Abstract

Between 2004 and 2014, the period between Ukraine’s two revolutions – the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity – Donbas became an arena of confrontation between several competing narratives concerning historical memory and identity. On one side, local elites (led by the Party of Regions) promoted a pro-Russian identity, preserved Soviet narratives about the past, integrated Donbas into the Russian cultural context, and actively resisted the spread of Ukrainian meanings. Marginal radical organizations such as the "Donetsk Republic," which adhered to an overtly anti-Ukrainian ideology, also operated on this wing. On the other side, independent pro-Ukrainian organizations and initiatives, such as the youth organization Poshtovkh, countered these efforts by promoting Ukrainian culture and language, debunking Russian and Soviet historical myths, and fostering the integration of Donbas into Ukraine's broader cultural space. The presidential vertical, represented by regional state administrations, also inconsistently supported the pro-Ukrainian development vector. This presentation analyzes the content, interaction, and the means and tools used for the dissemination of these competing narratives.

Author

• Serhii Stukanov, Center for Content Analysis (Ukraine)