On Monday, the most searched keyword on the Ukrainian Google was “OTR-21 Tochka missile”. Tuesday, “Stepan Bandera”; Wednesday, “Sarny”; Thursday, “PayPal”; Friday, “Lviv Aircraft Repair Plant”. Constantly evolving, this research is punctuated by the rapid fire of the news of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Reflecting the concerns of the population, the trends compiled by the Google search engine reveal key moments in the war, which began three weeks ago.
Ranking of the most popular daily searches in Ukraine, since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24.
1. “Ukrainian News” Over 500,000 searches on February 24
On Thursday, February 24, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine begins, Ukrainians are eager to seek out the latest developments. From the first day, air strikes and penetration of ground forces begin.
Between attempts at disinformation and efforts to muzzle the press by Russia, keeping informed has not been easy for Ukrainians since the beginning of the conflict. Ukraine is also a minefield for local and foreign journalists. Five of them have lost their lives for three weeks.
2. “Dollar exchange rate” Over a million searches on February 24
On day one of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian ruble quickly sank to an all-time low against the US dollar.
The Russian currency then fell to 90 rubles per US dollar, before the Bank of Russia intervened to ensure the country’s financial stability.
Between February 24 and March 17, the ruble lost more than 22% of its value against the US dollar.
3. “Gostomel” Over 500,000 searches on February 24
On the first day of the invasion, Russia launched three offensives, notably that of kyiv, from the North. One of its first targets is Gostomel airport, which is on the northern edge of the Ukrainian capital.
A swarm of Russian helicopters from Belarus attacks the international airport. Russian forces gain control on February 25.
4. “SWIFT” Over 500,000 searches on February 24
On February 26, the international community calls for the exclusion of Russia from SWIFT — an acronym for Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication — an international banking payment platform used by thousands of financial institutions around the world.
This sanction against Moscow would prevent the country from carrying out financial transactions, which would block most Russian exports and imports.
5. “Ruble to dollar” Over a million searches on February 27
On February 27, the United States, the European Union and other countries move forward with the imposition of new economic sanctions against Russia.
The largest Russian banks are excluded from the SWIFT system. Any transaction with the Central Bank of Russia is banned. The Russian ruble consequently fell by 27%, from 114.33 rubles per dollar.
6. “Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia”Over 500,000 searches on February 27
On the fourth day of the invasion, Ukraine and Russia agree to hold talks. The Kremlin offers the city of Gomel in Belarus as a meeting place, an offer which Volodymyr Zelensky refuses.
The Ukrainian president says he is ready to negotiate everywhere except in Belarus, a country which serves as a rear base for the Russian military.
“I don’t really believe in a result”, but “we have to try”, declared Volodymyr Zelensky in a video.
The eyes of the international community on UkraineGoogle trends also reflect increased international interest in the situation in Ukraine. In Canada, searches for the keyword “Ukraine” jumped in late February.