Emigration from Ukraine to Germany in the Context of the Russian-Ukrainian War

Abstract

A new topic is submitted in the article, namely the study of changes in the social structure of modern Ukrainian society, in particular, forced migration processes in Ukraine and abroad, caused by the active phase of the Russian-Ukrainian war started on February 24, 2022. The adaptation mechanisms in Germany, where the second in number largest group of the forced migrants stay are considered in the work. The main issues include granting a residence permit in Germany with refugee status, state support, housing, material and medical assistance, educational services, employment, etc. Also the activities of Ukrainian public organizations in FRG, in particular diplomatic, confessional, volunteer, scouting, etc. are described. The paper is aimed at the conducting an analytical ethnological study of socio-cultural aspects, systematization of the statistical data on the emigration of the population from Ukraine to Germany from various sources (scientific literature, Internet resources, mass media, own field notes and illustrative materials from the participants of these processes, etc.). The main researcher’s attention is paid to the adaptation period of the war refugees, their adjustment to the new realities of life in Germany and the negative consequences of migration processes for Ukraine, both demographic, economic and ethnopolitical, ethnocultural. The emigration problem is extremely important and sensitive for modern society, requiring constant statistical updates, analysis and generalisation, therefore its relevance is obvious and timely. The general scientific methods and special ethnological ones are used in the study: system analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, classification (to reveal the subject of the article, structure it and summarise information in a single semantic wholeness). Interviews and audio recording of field material are used among the special methods (to replenish the factual base and clarify the current state of the problem). The method of critical discourse analysis has been used to analyse the interview texts. It provides the most complete picture of the migrant’s condition and adaptation in foreign and unusual surroundings. The scientific novelty of the submitted topic lies in the generalised analysis of statistical and demographic data on the scale of forced emigration of Ukrainians, which has and will continue to have a negative impact on the gene pool of our country.