ABSTRACT
This study surveys the current political situation in Zaporizhzhia, a region located in east Ukraine. 1 It is suggested that although the area has a high proportion of Russian speakers, especially in urban areas (see Table 6.1), a strongly 'pro-Russian' political orientation has not evolved in the region, and there has been little resistance to proposed increases in Ukrainian-language education. It is proposed that this is because political/national orientation and cultural identity are not solely determined by language. Although a significant proportion of the population in Zaporizhzhia is Russian-speaking, it might be more helpful to view the region as having a mixed 'Soviet' identity, which includes Russian and Ukrainian elements.2 That there is a low level of mass political activity in the area, and that the political and economic elites have diverse and fractured interests, are also important factors. In addition, the slow manner in which changes in education have been implemented has been of crucial significance.
