Settlement of the Armed Conflict in the East of Ukraine Through the Prism of Mass Consciousness of Donetsk Residents in the Controlled Territory (2014–2021)

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to characterize the vision of residents of certain districts of Donetsk region, controlled by the Ukrainian authorities, until the full-scale invasion of the Russian Armed Forces into Ukraine, ways to resolve the armed conflict.

The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, scientific, authorial objectivity, systematicity, comprehensiveness, critical analysis of sources, as well as the use of general scientific (analysis, comparison, synthesis, generalization) and interdisciplinary (sociology) methods.

The scientific novelty of the obtained results is determined by the fact that for the first time in domestic and foreign historiography it is considered how Donetsk residents living in the controlled territory sought to solve the problem of achieving peace in Donbas.

Conclusions. Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine in 2014 led to the temporary occupation of certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In this situation, the locals began to strive for peace. This problem was one of the most important in the socio-political discourse. Thus, Donetsk residents completely rejected military means, relying on diplomatic measures. However, if in 2015 the majority of respondents sought peace at any cost, today this share has fallen significantly and increased the number of supporters of its achievement under certain conditions.