KYIV, July 30 – Ukrainians across all regions don’t consider themselves one people with Russians, rejecting a narrative advanced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a study by the Ukrainian Institute for the Future (UIF) suggest.

Vadym Denysenko, the head of UIF, said one of the biggest differences between Ukrainians and Russians appears to be the value of freedom and the way they react to authorities.

“Ukrainians clearly distinguish themselves from Russians, they clearly believe that we are completely different, and this applies to all regions where our focus group studies were conducted, both in the east and in the west,” Denysenko said while presenting the study on Friday.

“Therefore, in the mass consciousness, we are not one people and, of course, we feel our complete difference from Russians. One of the main features of our difference is our love of freedom and the ability to say no to the authorities, in contrast to Russians," he said.

The UIF conducted the study by assembling focus groups between June 10 and June 15 throughout Ukraine, together with the sociological company New Image Marketing Group.

The sample was 12 focus group studies, in which one focus group study involved eight participants. Target audience were men and women aged 18 and over; three age categories: 18-30 years old, 31-54 years old, 55 years old and older; representatives of various types of settlements: regional centers, other cities (not regional centers) and villages; representatives of various fields of activity, income level and educational level.

The study showed that Ukrainians consider the following to be the key differences with the Russian people, including decentralization of power in all forms; the presence of freedom of speech, the ability to disagree with the authorities; openness and sincerity; less aggression and bad manners; more hard work.

"Ukrainians have a clear identification – 'we are different.' The main difference from Russians is the attitude to the authorities,” Denysenko said. “Ukrainians are critical of political leaders, and consider ineffective institutions to be the main problem for the development of the economy and society," according to the study.

Putin last month published a 5,000-plus-word essay in which he had reviewed the last 1,000 years to conclude that Russians, Belarusians, and Ukrainians share a common history, faith, and destiny.

In Putin’s view, Western powers have tried for centuries to separate them, but those efforts are doomed to fail. He argues that “the anti-Russia project has been rejected by millions of Ukrainians” in Crimea, the Donbas and elsewhere. (nr/ez)