Prior to the 2014 invasion of Ukraine, was there any evidence of ethnic cleansing of Russians?

Factual Questions
1

I want to be clear that I am asking for factual responses, to the best it’s possible. If this evolves into a debate later, fine, but I’m not looking to stir up trouble.

I’ll explain:
Over in the Trumpy parts of the internet, I’m seeing more and more people claiming that Putin was right to invade Ukraine because of the ethnic cleansing of Russians that was going on.

I am by NO MEANS buying that, and even if true, the world had come to grudgingly accept the changes to the map after 2014, so it doesn’t explain the 2022 invasion.

The FQ I have is whether there is any evidence that there was in fact ethnic cleansing of Russians going on. Indeed, I’d really appreciate evidence that Putin fabricated the whole thing, since I’ll admit I would rather that be the case.

I’ve not found anything searching, other than an occasional reference to Putin’s claim. But nothing that tries to actually support it with evidence.

Thanks!

2

Nothing well documented since WWII-era Ukraine, which was horrific and involved actual Nazis. I think that’s the kind of thing Putin is trying to evoke by using a rather antiquated word like “Nazis” in so much of his rhetoric.

3

How do you define ethnic cleansing? Murder/expulsion?

I think the concern was for lesser things like discouraging Russian language and culture, for example:

4

They’re probably drawing on this:

5

That’s because, as you guessed, there is no evidence to support it because it didn’t actually happen. The “8 years of genocide/war/whatever” against Russians in Donetsk and Luhansk that the world ignored is a lie that Putin has pushed for internal propaganda consumption. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 3,404 civilians, including 306 foreigners were killed in the 8 years from 6 April 2014 – 31 December 2021, the vast majority occurring during the first two years when there was much more active conflict than in the next six years. The pdf of the report is here, and is absolutely worth taking a close look at. Its only 3 pages, but it graphs out civilian casualties by month and cause from Jan 2018-Dec 2021. There was a total of 26 civilian deaths in 2020, and 25 in 2021. It should also be noted that these are total civilian casualties on both sides of the conflict, not Russian civilians.

The DPR and LPRs own figures support the UNs finding; the UN says 2,420 civilians and DPR fighters killed from 6 April 2014 – 15 February 2015, the DPR says 5,042 civilians and DPR fighters killed from the longer period of 6 April 2014 – 18 February 2022. Similarly, the UN says 1,185 civilians and LPR fighters killed from 1 May 2014 – 15 February 2015, the LPR says 1,998 civilians and LPR fighters killed in the longer period from 6 April 2014 – 23 February 2022.

6

The evidence that would support such a claim would be the numbers of Russian speakers moving to Russia from the disputed areas while they were governed by Ukraine, and oppressive measures aimed by the Ukrainian government at Russian speakers and their community organisations, activities, media, etc.

And then compare that with similar evidence relating to Ukrainians in the Russia-held territories since 2014 (not to mention since last year).