The Problem of Preserving the National Identity of Indigenous Peoples in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine

Autori:

Natalia MOGILEVSKAYA, Olha KALANTAIEVSKA, Kateryna DAROVANETS, Oleksandr DAROVANETS, Andrii KYRYCHENKO, Anastasiia KHARCHENKO

Cod: ISSN: 1583-3410 (print), ISSN: 1584-5397 (electronic)
Dimensiuni: pp. 145-168

How to cite this article:

Mogilevskaya, N., Kalantaievska, O., Darovanets, K., Darovanets, O., Kyrychenko, A., Kharchenko, A. (2026). The Problem of Preserving the National Identity of Indigenous Peoples in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine. Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 93, 145-168, DOI: 10.33788/rcis.93.9

Abstract:

The relevance of the research is due to the fact that since 2014, three indigenous peoples of Ukraine – Crimean Tatars, Karaites and Krymchaks – have been subject to a full-scale policy of Russification in the temporarily occupied Crimea, which creates an unprecedented threat to their cultural survival. The purpose of the research is to comprehensively analyze the mechanisms for preserving the national identity of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine under occupation, identify the main threats and resistance strategies, and assess the effectiveness of protection instruments at the national and international levels. The methodological basis is an interdisciplinary approach using systemic, comparative legal and institutional analysis, supplemented by the author’s sociological survey of 342 representatives of the Crimean Tatar community who left occupied Crimea after 2014. The results of the research showed that the majority of respondents speak the Crimean Tatar language at home, consider Islam an important component of identity, and celebrate national holidays. At the same time, the language situation among children is of serious concern, and state support is assessed by the community as insufficient. Despite this, most respondents expressed a desire to return to Crimea after de-occupation. The conclusions emphasize that Crimean Tatars demonstrate high stability of identity in conditions of forced resettlement, but the language situation among children requires special attention; family upbringing and informal communication are recognized as the most effective strategies for preserving identity, while state support needs to be significantly strengthened, considering the identified needs of the community.