Views from the eastern pro-Russian city of Donetsk and the western pro-European city of Lviv on the скачать в хорошем качестве

Views from the eastern pro-Russian city of Donetsk and the western pro-European city of Lviv on the

(1 Mar 2014) When seen from above there is no doubt the city of Donetsk in Eastern Ukraine is a mining city. Its roots are in the industry, so much so that the city of about a million people is build around a mine. The people here know what is happening in Kiev, the capital city that can seem so far away. They've seen pictures of anti-government protesters shot dead in Kiev's streets, and the TV reports on the mansions of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, the onetime thug and pro-Russian politician who grew up in this far-eastern city. They watched from afar this week as protesters, most from Western Ukraine, helped form the country's new interim government. And for many they don't like it at all. On the fringe of this sentiment are the radical left-wing Ukrainians, who gather in the city's central square daily to make speeches and some say to protect the Lenin statue - which stands in the middle of the square - from "fascists." One of them is Andrey Balashov Makeevka, a local business owner. He said this week that because Ukraine "is already separated," the only thing left to do is to to "accept that the country cannot be united any more." In the west, the city of Lviv has emerged as a centre for Ukrainian artists and writers, a huge draw for European tourists and a city desperate for closer ties to the West. To the fiercest pessimists, as well as to extremists on both sides, the two cities are already in different nations. In fact, on Lviv's streets, pro-EU flags now fly and anti-Yanukovych graffiti and signs can be found. One popular sign referring to Yanukovych reads,"The bastard sold your country." One Lviv resident expressed his hope Ukraine can eventually be part of the European Union. "We hope to join Europe and have a visa-free regime, I hope we will begin to live better," he said. Oleg Khandogyi also pointed out the underlying differences between Ukrainians living in the East and in the West part of the country. "They (Ukrainians living in the East) have been brainwashed, they only see work. They live in their mines and see nothing more, that is why it is difficult to find common ground with them. The Western part is more open, it is more European, it is more intelligent and Ukrainian-oriented." On the outskirts of Donetsk this hard scrabble life Khandogyi refers to in derisive terms is apparent. Large heaps of mine waste, called terra cones, dwarf the houses of the workers who live nearby. On the street outside the mine is a well preserved communist-era monument. Yurii, who lives in Donetsk, and didn't give his last name, commented on the recent changes in the country. "Politicians failed to make agreements and turned people against each other. Now we face the situation where people from the Western part of Ukraine are angry with the people from the Eastern part of Ukraine and vice versa. I don't know what will come next, but I don't want to have a war," he said. Only a handful of regional leaders will talk about the recent situation in Ukraine. Among them is Alexander Kravtsov, a top city official and member of Yanukovych's political party. He said he thinks most people in the region still believe in a united Ukraine, but warned that the number who identify themselves with Russia will grow significantly if they feel threatened. "If we continue to see violence and illegal actions from our TV screens, then naturally, being a Russian speaking region, a Russian-oriented region, the number of supporters (of Russia) will significantly grow," said Kravtsov. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...