Ukrainian Demographics – Men, Women, Families: Let’s Dot the I’s

2006, printed sources: Ella Libanova, Vice-Director, Institute of Demography under the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; Victor Smirnov, journalist

Note: Ukrainian nationals, not ethnic Ukrainians, are discussed.

Virgin Village & Smalltown vs. Babylon City? Russian Brides Background Effect

To a Western man searching Russia / Ukraine for unspoiled virtue, health, high moral values, sound family background, top model beauty, unconditional love, and proper mothering of his children, - hinterland is the last area to seek a wife. Post-Soviet specifics of economy and mentality contradict American-based reasoning on the percentage of “sound” or “flawed” women in small communities, of “deserving” or “evil” girls who relocate upscale, and of “fine” or “filthy” city-borns.

A keen observer can discern a range of more specific social types. A psychologist would consider the entire combination of individual factors to make a right match. And it takes a native to detect ancestry & upbringing by manners, speech, style, even by facial features. But let’s now clarify the first-approximation guidelines.

How do major factors of origin affect a Russian or Ukrainian woman’s character? What marriage behavior can a stranger forecast by them?

Here are some trends you need to know. Feels bad to spill – and to conceal.

First mention & counter-arguments

A Different View: Ode to Ugly Women in “Men’s Cult” (Russian e-magazine)

Who said “There are no un-beautiful women”? Themselves the plain? or men who marry them, carry them in arms for life, and hold them as more attractive than star beauties? What’s their hidden power? Says one of such guys, disclaiming himself not handsome.

Family Property, Child Support, (Ex-)Spouse Maintenance: Rights and Obligations

My main professional experience is in Ukrainian law. But it’s easy to compare with the Russian Federation Family Code, with their common Soviet basics, built over the Russian Empire’s civil-law system, and modified towards contemporary European standards.

So, here’s a brief to help you estimate general conditions of a marriage with a FSU woman under the law of her country.

Marriage, Concubinage, Experiment? Legal Choice and Consequences

Surprising stats: more wives than husbands in the FSU. Polygamy?! No, different attitudes to non-formalized cohabitation. A Russian poll revealed: of all partners living so, 92% women identify themselves as married, while 85% men keep feeling bachelors.

Ironically, Soviet people dub non-wed household-sharing unions with the legally illiterate title “civil marriage”, but scarcely guess that such relationships, throughout history, engender more or less of rights and obligations associated with the desired – or dreadful, as all jokes go – status of “legitimate spouses”.

Gentlemen, you’re gonna be more savvy than most locals! ;)

Russian (Ukrainian) Men’s Characters. Episode 1

Hitch-lift city drivers are a popular alternative to taxi here. Some car owners earn their living so, some just don’t miss an extra bill on their way to work / home / errands, some even do favors. Though it now takes a too luckless fate to run across a robber or assaulter if you stop that random car in Kiev (you rather beware of criminals when it’s you at the wheel), foreigners are the “risk group”, and are never let enjoy the low-cost price.

So I disadvise this mode of transportation to you, but often use it myself – and learn lots about life and people through chatting the way.

99,99% lifts are given by men, not “auto-ladies” (however numerous), so they add male perspectives to the comprehensive feminine clue-up I witness in local seamstresses and hairdressers (ah, forgot to mention the abysmal abundance of educative stories by home-improvement freelancers, men and women).

Here is this morning’s sketch I’d like to share.

Main problems of traveling to Former Soviet Union: Language Barrier, Service and Safety

The most complained-on problem is “visitor-non-friendly” environment. There IS state-of-the-art “civilization”. And many Russian people DO strive to lend a hand, for the sense of patriotism and dignity. Yet they also see more compatriots of less culture (in terms of language skills, helpfulness regardless of them, order, abuse, and racism) than their foreign counterparts have (the brighter is the well-bred visible minority, highly praised by sophisticated travelers from Europe.)

The rule is: the deeper backwards, the harder (insulation in deterioration, deterioration in insulation). But there are capital exceptions worth a contrary rule! No ounce of justification is given to the woodwork habits of numerous hoards of “centers” dwellers or barbaric newly-rich parvenus moving to capital cities or traveling abroad.

Same is true for Ukraine and other Former Soviet countries, maybe in a way more hospitable and internationally disposed… and less accurately organized.

So, here follow the major bummers. Brought to your attention from a Russian website on tourism (a discussed poll “What irritates foreigners in Russia“) as vaccination against possible cultural shocks.

Let not the surrounding dirt mar the human diamonds you are going to meet, nor upset your plans for a Nice Time on a Comfortable Extreme Tour.

“Shocking” Stats II: Incomes & Expenses in Russia and Ukraine; So Is There any Middle Class?

Rich, Poor, Who, Where, What For… HOW MUCH?
What attributes define the middle class?
Amounts to earn and spend in capital cities?

Official reports, public polls, press surveys since 2006 to the latest comment.
Dollar amounts rounded, course contemporary to the publication.

Russian and Ukrainian snapshots appear interchangeably.

• 2006 Monthly Employee Income – Russian Federal statistic service

Moscow sampling. For the rest of Russian population, divide into 3.

Ukrainian Slave Wife the Ruler of Islamic Empire: The Story of Roxelana (Roksolana)

The reign of Sultan Suleyman known as “the Magnificent” in Europe and “the Lawgiver” in the Islamic world (1520-66) represented the height of the Ottoman Empire,.. which was successfully influenced by a Ukrainian woman, who raised incredibly from a harem slave to the Sultan’s Chief Wife & Advisor and Mother of the Heir.

Suleiman’s domain let him call himself “Caesar of all the lands of Rome”. But the love of his life was a lightsome avatar of a “Cleopatra”.

East + West > Marriage + Relationship > Psychology > Expert Counseling + Personal Secrets

Here he comes, passionate, intelligent and confident. We chat hours away, and then I see his inner boy. His shining armour is like chocolate’s foil to the teeth of some “bunny girl”. He’s about swording down princesses he takes for witches. Starving for human connection, orphaned from feminine care… And once again I turn Aunt AskNatalia.Ru to help one more soul rather than seek for the soul mate for myself. )

Thus began my e-counseling practice in psychology. Many times I felt blessed with friendship to a missioned professional analyst / therapist / coach lady I mention here and there as Dr. Tamara… as well as with my Ukrainian / Russian origin.

These Men have learnt stabbing their male rivals, juggling with big money, playing chess with the world, – yet feel lost at managing their personal lives. Yes, business and relationships are different disciplines, though not as incomparable as we are taught to think. But indeed, how should one operate in the world where definitions have fused?

“Manly” and “womanly” – “Western” and “Eastern” – “traditional” and “modern” – we are just too much alike… even though so different.

Luckily, Russian Women are seasoned soul-divers. ) Moreover, today’s generation of brides has been learning Men largely by foreign examples of. Which means, checking themselves through the eyes of foreign men – prevalently Western European and American.

How could it be?

The “Russian Woman” / “Russians” brand: Geography, Philosophy, Patriotism

Should I parenthesize “Russian” everywhere on this blog? Any Russian-bride-savvy knows this indication concerns several, mostly Eastern European, countries of the Former Soviet Union (FSU): Belarus, Russia, Ukraine (kin Slavonic / Slavic nations), to some extent the Baltic region (West-wise), Georgia and Kazakhstan (East-wise). What stands behind the “brand name” then?