War-Torn Territories and Society: Migration Processes, Cases, Contexts of Ukraine

Abstract

Large-scale population displacement is one of the key consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war. It has been determined that Ukraine has abnormal demographic patterns at all levels. The aim of the research was to identify the general features of new patterns in the demographic space of Ukraine at different levels and to present case studies of migration processes in the de-occupied communities of Kherson region. An analysis of demographic history and the dramatic changes of the last ten years have revealed a restructuring of the demographic space that has changed the dominant trends of previous periods. The authors differentiate the regions of Ukraine by population concentration, which demonstrates a catastrophic drop in the demographic weight of the regions that became the battlefield. At a national level, there have been catastrophic demographic losses due to refugees, deaths, and natural decline. At a regional level, there has been a significant shift in population distribution, resulting in the rapid growth of the relative demographic importance of Ukraine's western and central regions. There have been predictable and unexpected migration cases at the local level, where emotional and psychological factors such as strengthening identity and regional belonging have become more essential alongside rational choices and decisions.