Територіально-політичний розвиток незалежної Україин: задавнені проблеми та нові виклики

Abstract

The concept of territorial and political development is exposed. The trends of the dynamics of regional differentiation of the electoral and political activity of citizens of Ukraine for the entire current period of its independence, main regional and political problems are identified. It is concluded that the at the first stage of territorial and political development (1991–2000 years), despite widespread Soviet identity and significant differentiation of mental and political moods, preconditions for interregional rapprochement or understanding though slowly formed, the issue of including Crimea into the legal field of Ukraine is solved. Territorial and political development of Ukraine in the direction of conflict was oriented since 2000, as a result of the mobilization of pro-Russian forces by the leadership. It appeared in the polarization of electoral and political attitudes, expanding the range of openly anti-Ukrainian political organizations, imposing the federal organization for Ukraine. Prospects for sovereign territorial and political development of Ukraine aggravated when in 2010 Russia continued to stay the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimea, and actually took control of the state security forces. Russia has moved to the open annexation of Ukrainian territories in the spring of 2014, occupying Crimea and Donetsk region that marked a new phase of territorial and political development of Ukraine. It is the restoration of the sovereignty and political integrity, countering Russian aggression and its attempts to destabilize the situation in other regions are the main challenges facing Ukraine at present. Key words: territorial and political development, regional and political issues of Ukraine, electoral geography, regional polarization of political attitudes, regional separatism.