Ukrainians and Belarusians in Estonia

The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians and Belarusians arrived in Estonia after 1940. Along with a number of other smaller nationalities, Ukrainians and Belarusians in Estonia assimilated into a primarily Russian-speaking community in the Soviet period. As Russian-speakers, post-Soviet Estonian language and citizenship policies have affected Ukrainians and Belarusians in ways similar to ethnic Russians. More cordial relations between the governments of Estonia and Ukraine and to a lesser extent Belarus have meant that Ukrainians and Belarusians in Estonia are seen as potentially more loyal than ethnic Russians, and majority stereotyping of these groups is less inclined to be negative.

A significant proportion of Ukrainians and Belarusians, just like the ethnic Russian minority, have the status of ‘non-citizen’ or ‘undetermined citizenship’. In 2017, out of the whole Ukrainian population in Estonia, almost a quarter had ‘undetermined citizenship’ status. This means, as in the case of ethnic Russians, that a significant portion of their community cannot fully participate in the democratic life of the country and work in certain areas of the public sector.

Ukrainians and Belarusians have been similarly affected by Estonian language proficiency requirements in the workplace and elsewhere. Along with ethnic Russians, they are disproportionately under-represented in the higher levels of public sector employment and young women in particular suffer from disproportionate unemployment.

Finally, the Law on Cultural Autonomy of National Minorities of 1993 provides for establishment of Cultural Autonomy Bodies provided that the population of that minority is over 3,000 persons. This is the only opportunity for minorities to have some form of consultation at a national level in Estonia. While the law further specifies that such national minority cultural autonomy bodies may be established by persons belonging to the Russian minority (though all efforts to establish it have so far failed), German, Swedish and Jewish minorities (though the three minority groups no longer meet the numerical criteria), Belarusian and Ukrainian minorities are not covered by this law despite their significant numerical presence.

General

• Estonian Institute for Human Rights
• Jaan Tönisson Institute
• Estonian Jewish Centre

Ukrainians and Belarusians

• Ukrainian World Congress [Umbrella organization representing and coordinating between Ukrainian Diaspora organizations. Toronto, Canada]