Russification Strategies in Ukraine's Occupied Territories: Moscow's Approach

On the occupied territories of Ukraine, Russia imposes a sophisticated policy of Russification. It is by far not just the imposition of the Russian language, but a complex mechanism for destroying Ukrainian identity and establishing total control over the population. The Association of the Middle East Studies, a partner of the ERIC, together with the Britisch IN2 NGO, have conducted a comprehensive study of Russia's policies of Russification in Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions. We publish this summary of the full study, with more than 30 in-depth interviews conducted with people who left the occupied territories no later than in the last 6 months, using two focus group surveys, and two social modeling games to study the vision of the processes that will take place after de-occupation.
 

Mechanisms of Russification

The study showed that Russification is not just the imposition of the Russian language, but a complex mechanism for destroying Ukrainian identity and establishing total control over the population of the occupied territories. Researchers have identified several key mechanisms of Russification:

1. Bureaucratic Russification - the gradual involvement of the population, households, and businesses in the Russian legal framework:

• Compulsory passportization, which caused the greatest resistance;

• Changing real estate documents;

• Replacement of meters and other infrastructure elements;

• Registration of men for military service.

2. Educational Russification - turning educational institutions into instruments of indoctrination:

• Schools are mostly used not for education, but as a social instrument of control;

• Most teachers are not professional educators, but random people;

• Children are used as informants about the mood in families.

3. Symbolic Russification is a change in the symbolic space:

• The complete removal and destruction of Ukrainian symbols;

• Renaming settlements and streets;

• Installation of Russian monuments, in particular, to "heroes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces";

• The use of Soviet symbols and the restoration of Soviet practices.

4. Ideological Russification - the imposition of Russian values:

• Creating an atmosphere of distrust and denunciation;

• Imposing the concept of the "Russian world" superimposed on the Soviet matrix;

• The use of Soviet practices and ideology, which for many people is associated with the return of "sovietness."

5. Violence as the main mechanism of control:

• A combination of physical repression and psychological violence;

• Creating a feeling of complete powerlessness among the population;

• Undermining public trust, social atomization of people;

• Destruction of social norms in communities.
   

Economic methods of control

Bribery and economic manipulation:

• The initial stage of the occupation was characterized by high salaries (2.5-3 times higher than in Russia);
• This was followed by a sharp decline in wages, massive layoffs, and the introduction of high utility tariffs;
• Termination of humanitarian aid.

Collaborationism and local authorities

• The three main motives for collaboration are power, money, and coercion;
• The occupation authorities are basically appointing Ukrainian citizens to local positions to create the illusion of support from the local population.

Consequences of the occupation for the population
Psychological consequences:
 

• The constant emotional stirrings (hope and despair) lead to general apathy among the population;
• Atomization of society - people minimize contacts;
• Changing the time routine - the streets are empty after 15:00;
• Silence as a way of survival - people literally "have to be silent";
• Psychological traumas remain even after the release from the occupation.

It is important to understand that the apathy of the population is not a consequence of the adoption of Russian values, but the result of psychological pressure.

Challenges of de-occupation and reintegration
The second part of the study, focuses on social modeling games that allowed us to predict the processes of de-occupation and reintegration. Main conclusions:

Key challenges for de-occupation:
1. Demographic:

• The level of return to the de-occupied territories is expected to be very low;
• The population of retirement and pre-retirement age will predominate, as is already the case in the liberated territories of Kherson region.

2. Social tension:

• Distrust of those who remained under occupation;
• Risk of lynching and punitive attitudes;
• Growing distrust over time due to restrictions on communication between the occupied and free territories.

3. Economic barriers:

• Infrastructure is damaged;
• Lack of housing;
• Economic instability;
• The decline of agriculture, especially due to the disappearance of the Kakhovka reservoir.

4. Educational challenges:

• Education as a key tool for reintegration;
• Risks of conflicts between students, teachers, and parents;
• The need for distance learning and the search for new methods of communication.

Time perspectives and forecasts
 

According to the survey participants:

• De-occupation - approximately three years plus, mostly not by military means;
• Full reintegration takes about 10 years;
• Two years of distance education and the beginning of infrastructure reconstruction;
• 3-5 years - partial return of the population, implementation of peacekeeping programs;
• 6-10 years - full reintegration and achievement of stability.

Recommendations

Based on the study, the experts formulated the following recommendations:

1. Development and implementation of peacekeeping programs:

• Investing in reconciliation and dialogue programs;
• Involvement of specialists from the Ukrainian Peacekeeping School and other experts;
• Conducting trainings on negotiations and conflict resolution.

2. Balancing the "patriotic bubble":

• Avoiding excessive demands on the population of the occupied territories;
• Disseminating information about the realities of life under occupation;
• Understanding that people act primarily for survival reasons.

3. Preservation of Ukrainian identity:

• Focus on working with children and youth;
• Support for elements of Ukrainian identity;
• Socialization of displaced children.

4. Economic recovery:

• Long-term planning for socio-economic recovery;
• Creating jobs to stimulate the return of the population;
• Maintaining existing business in the frontline areas.

5. Transparent government strategy:

• Developing a clear vision of de-occupation and reintegration;
• Restoring public confidence in the government;
• Managing public expectations regarding the timing of recovery.