Regionalism in Ukraine

Regionalism in Ukraine has been a significant force during the building of an independent state after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

[1] In 1990, a proposal was put forth in Odesa for a "special state status" of the historical area of Novorossiya which would have been included five Ukrainian oblasts plus Moldovan Transnistria, which is now a breakaway territory.

[1] While one of the important resolutions of the Assembly was "On the Unity of the Ukrainian Lands", Chornovil was severely criticized for "separatism" and eventually abandoned the idea.

[4] In Transcarpathia, the Congress of Carpathian Ruthenians led by Dimitry Sydor was for the autonomy of Subcarpathian Ruthenia within Ukraine.

Other minorities (Ukrainian Romanians/Moldovans in Bukovina and Bessarabian Bulgarians and Gagauz in Odesa Oblast) also sought local autonomy.

Many observers noted that political division of Ukraine, as seen in voting patterns during the elections in Ukraine roughly matches the distribution of the Russophone population.