[*]Ethnicity is not really relevant to this and people's ethnicity in this part of the world is a complex issues - whether Ukrainian, Russian, a mix or something else.
Yes, though ethnic jews can have their own view. I did meet in my life several expressions of antisemitism as private opinions, if it is really a problem, only jews can say.

All other ethnoses are treated the same.


  • Everybody speaks Russian in everyday life, because it's convenient.
  • People are not well off, but they have seen much worse times if they remember the 1990s.
  • There is no strong sense of nationality in this region - either way.
  • Many people are attracted by the possibility of higher incomes as a result from being Russian citizens rather than Ukrainian. (Maybe because of the Soviet legacy, a lot of people don't feel a buzz in their heart at the thought of Ukraine, because they grew up identifying themselves primarily as Soviet)
  • Nobody is discriminated in Eastern Ukraine and there IS TV in Russian.
Yes.


  • The protesters in Eastern Ukraine have not formulated any specific demands and some may be there just to fight with no particular reason.
That's my impression.

You had a complete u-turn in your view of Russia because Putin choose not to respect Ukraine's borders.
Yes.