Following Ukraine’s presidential elections in Mariupol is interesting for a number of reasons. First, this city has been directly touched by war, and continues to feel its impacts today. Second, it is a centre of economic power in its own right - oligarch Rinat Akhmetov owns several factories here, and the town is run by a former employee of his.
Third, when Ukraine lost control over Donetsk, Mariupol informally took up its status, at least informally - artists visit the city, new cafes and art platforms open regularly. And despite the fact that the majority of residents support pro-Russian politicians from the former Party of Regions, here you can meet plenty of pro-Ukrainian activists and volunteers. In 2014, Mariupol became a battleground between the Ukrainian authorities and supporters of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic”. In June that year, the Azov battalion cleared the city, and Kyiv didn’t lose control over Mariupol.
That same year, Petro Poroshenko took first place in the presidential election in Mariupol, with 37% of the vote. But in the second round of Ukraine’s 2019 election, Poroshenko didn’t even take 10% here. What happened?
