Today, a comprehensive sociological study on the cognitive de-occupation of Crimea, conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), was presented at Media Center Ukraine. The study was commissioned by the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine. It is one of the outcomes of the Council on Cognitive De-occupation of Crimea, established at the Mission and composed of representatives from the state, civil society, academia, media, and expert sectors. The goal was to obtain a detailed picture of Ukrainian society’s attitudes towards the de-occupation of Crimea and identify the key challenges associated with the peninsula’s reintegration.

Tamila Tasheva, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea, opened the presentation with the following remarks:

“The study shows that about 90% of Ukrainian citizens agree that Crimea must be liberated, which is an important signal for us. Despite the war’s duration, we are fighting for the liberation of all our territories and our people. These data also directly confirm the fifth point of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula—restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The results of this study provide powerful and timely insights that allow us to coordinate and implement tactical steps for the cognitive de-occupation of Crimea. As the data show, there is insufficient knowledge about occupied Crimea in society, but at the same time, there is a great demand for it. These results also emphasize the need to restore the peninsula’s true history, not the one Russia has imposed over the years, erasing the identity of our compatriots. We must also focus on realizing the rights of Ukraine’s Indigenous Peoples. Despite the occupier’s attempts to suppress the society under occupation, they have failed.”

Anna Onyshchenko, Team Lead at Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine, stressed the importance of this study in understanding the dynamics of reintegration:

“Its purpose is to understand how to strengthen social cohesion during Crimea’s de-occupation and what challenges we might face along the way. It’s crucial to understand the sentiments of both Crimean residents and mainland Ukrainians, particularly their expectations, hopes, and fears for the future. This knowledge will help us build reintegration strategies based on justice, empathy, and understanding. After all, reintegration is not just about reclaiming territory. It’s about uniting people, rebuilding lives, and creating a shared future”, said Anna Onyshchenko

“Despite the issue of Crimea being underrepresented in Ukrainian media, the de-occupation of the peninsula remains a crucial component of a just peace for Ukrainians. We also see that Ukrainians remain open to dialogue, aiming for a formula that ensures both effective reintegration of Crimea and a demand for justice. It’s important to foster an objective understanding of the occupation’s realities and approach sensitive issues constructively, avoiding unnecessary divisions where they can be prevented,” said Anton Hrushetskyi, Executive Director of KIIS.

During the presentation, the research methodology* was explained, which included a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection, allowing for a comprehensive coverage of topics and opinions.

The study analyzed the current situation on the peninsula, the ethno-ideological composition of the population in Crimea, and anticipated reactions to decisions made after de-occupation. Through a comprehensive approach involving focus groups, in-depth interviews, quantitative surveys, and media monitoring, a detailed understanding of Ukrainian society’s attitudes toward Crimea’s de-occupation and the key challenges in its reintegration emerged. Topics included the views of Crimean and mainland residents on each other, visions for Crimea’s future, governance structure in de-occupied Crimea, issues of collaboration, language and personnel, the status of Crimea, potential challenges for Ukrainian society after the de-occupation, attitudes toward monuments and landmarks installed during the Russian occupation, and potential decisions regarding toponymy and memorialization.

Data collection for the qualitative phases took place from July 31 to August 9, 2024, while the quantitative survey was conducted from July 26 to August 12, 2024. The monitoring of Telegram channels covered the period from February 1 to July 31, 2024.

Key Insights from the Study:

• The Ukrainian information space lacks adequate coverage of Crimea, and mainland Ukrainians (including Crimean Tatars) have low levels of awareness about the peninsula.
• There is no consensus in Ukrainian society regarding the future status of Crimea within Ukraine.
• Nearly half of the respondents expressed hope for Crimea’s de-occupation within the next five years, although younger people are less optimistic in the short term than older generations, and the de-occupation is less of a priority for them.
• Almost half of the respondents believe that elections for local authorities in Crimea should be held after the complete restoration of security. At the same time, a significant portion is open to holding elections sooner, immediately after martial law is lifted.
• Education is seen as a key factor in the reintegration process, recognized by both experts and ordinary citizens. Most respondents support simplified access to higher education for Crimean youth.
• Only 22% of respondents insist on a complete replacement of all teachers, principals, and education officials in post-de-occupation Crimea. In contrast, 34% propose only replacing leaders and officials (unless they committed crimes), while 40% support the dismissal of only education officials.
• Respondents emphasized the importance of an individual approach to the issue of collaboration, warning that careless actions could sow the seeds of new problems in Crimea.
• Most Ukrainians believe that Crimean residents who received Russian passports did so under duress, without real choice. However, a significant portion disagrees with this view.
• Regarding punishment for collaboration with the occupation administration, most Ukrainians support severe measures against officials, judges, law enforcement, and media personnel. However, they oppose punishing emergency and utility service workers. Opinions are divided regarding the education and cultural sectors: most support punishment for leaders and teachers of the humanities, while ordinary educators are treated more leniently.
• Ukrainian society seeks compromise in matters of memory, decommunization, and historical heritage, wishing to preserve the past while avoiding future conflicts.

For full study results, please contact the Press Service of the Mission at [email protected], or find the study’s publication on the Missions’s website at https://ppu.gov.ua/rezultaty-doslidzhennya-kohnityvna-deokupatsiya-krymu/

*The qualitative research was based on focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Two focus groups with Crimean Tatars living in Ukraine were conducted, divided by age groups. In addition, nine focus groups were held with residents of various regions of Ukraine—Kyiv, the South, the West, and the East—and different age groups (16-24, 25-45, 46+ years). This provided a deep understanding of Ukrainians’ attitudes toward key issues such as social cohesion, language policy, decommunization, monuments, and the prospects of Crimea’s reintegration.

In-depth interviews complemented the qualitative part of the study, providing personal perspectives on the occupation and de-occupation. Six in-depth interviews with Crimean residents were conducted, revealing diverse personal stories and views on Crimea’s future after de-occupation. Another important aspect of the study was nine interviews with experts. These interviews focused on specific aspects of reintegration: legal issues, education, cultural policy, language, monuments, and social cohesion.

The quantitative study, titled “Cognitive De-occupation of Crimea,” was conducted through computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) using a specially designed questionnaire.

An important stage of the research involved monitoring Telegram channels, which was conducted in two phases: a textual analysis to identify the main topics discussed and a more detailed analysis based on key themes and words, allowing us to understand how Crimean residents discuss de-occupation, their attitudes toward Ukraine, and the issues that capture the most attention on the peninsula.

The monitoring of Telegram channels in Ukraine focused on analyzing the information space, including posts, comments, and reactions related to Crimea, such as the status of the peninsula after de-occupation, education, national issues, memorialization, and militarization.

Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine(PFRU) is a donor program funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United States, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden.