As conflict drags on, Ukrainians spurn Russian culture After the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and the outbreak of a deadly conflict with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, many Ukrainians have in recent years turned away from the cultural products of a country increasingly considered as hostile. The movement was also encouraged by the Ukrainian authorities, who sought, through sometimes controversial measures, to support local culture in the face of Russian industry accused of promoting the interests of the Kremlin.