War Within a War: Russian Ethnic Minority in Ukraine Caught in the Crossfire
Do Russians Support the Brutality or Are They Prisoners of Circumstances?
Jonathan Beale, Defense Correspondent Reporting from Vovchansk
As the commander of a Ukrainian Special Forces unit stood overlooking a devastated village in the east of the country, he pointed to a group of civilians huddled around a fire. "Most of these people are Russians," he said. "They were born here, they grew up here, they have Ukrainian passports. But they support the invasion."
The majority of the 596,000 ethnic Russians in Ukraine were born in the country. They constitute 22.4% of the urban population and 6.9% of the rural population. Since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, these individuals have found themselves trapped between two worlds—their homeland and their ancestral roots.
As the war rages on, the question remains: Do these ethnic Russians truly support the brutality being carried out in Ukraine in their name? Or are they simply pretending to survive? The answer lies in a complex web of emotions, loyalties, and survival instincts.
For many ethnic Russians in Ukraine, the invasion has brought a sense of betrayal. They had always considered themselves Ukrainian citizens, but now they are being targeted by the Russian military. Their homes have been destroyed, their loved ones killed, and their communities torn apart.
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