My name is Katia and I am from Zhitomir, Ukraine. My mother is actually from Belarus and my mother tongue is Russian. Last year in the beginning of November I personally visited Maidan in Kiev. There were mainly young people and students protesting against the former president Viktor Yanukovich and his “band”. When students were beaten and killed, many more people, even of the older generation, started to gather on Maidan. We are not against Russia, we are for Europe.
When I was little, we used to spend many holidays in Crimea. It is a different place, people mostly speak Russian there. We all know that it was transferred or “given” to the Ukrainian SSR by Khrushchev in 1954 and since then it is a part of Ukraine. What’s going to happen as a result of the illegal referendum in Crimea? Hard to say. Probably only a few people will visit Crimea, mostly Russians….Ukrainians will mostly travel to Egypt or Turkey, it is actually cheaper there. The Ukrainians and the Tartars currently living in Crimea will most likely relocate to other Ukrainian regions. It is sad. There has been so much propaganda and provocation! I don’t have anything against Russia, unfortunately many Russians only watch state-run TV and don’t have access to other media channels….
Masha 
English
Dear MultiCOOLties, this week will be dedicated to the situation in Ukraine. Over the weekend Eve interviewed Ukrainians and Russians of Cologne to bring you a little bit different, more personal perspective of the conflict.
"We are not against Russia, we are for Europe."
Spread the news and feel free to comment!