the forced “russification” of the populations in the Donbass

The city of Volnovakha (Donetsk People’s Republic) came under Russian and separatist control a month and a half ago. 70% of the buildings were hit by bombardments. Only one school is still standing, despite shell craters and broken windows. Here, the policy of “Russification” began, with courses in the geography of Russia, taught in Russian. In the neighborhood choir, children rehearse singing Russian patriotic songs. They are preparing for May 9, a big Russian holiday that celebrates the end of the Second World War.

The Russian flag flies over the town hall. “She’s our sister, she’s our mother”, judges a resident. Some prefer to remain silent. “It’s difficult… I don’t know”, said another. While Ukrainian hryvnias are still accepted in the market, payments are increasingly made in rubles. For their part, the Russians claim to have “liberated” these territories, which have integrated “the self-proclaimed Republic of Donetsk”as reported by journalist Luc Lacroix, present on site.