In the cities and countryside of western Ukraine, Ukrainians make up over 90% of the population. However, in several of the large cities of the east and south, Russians form a majority. The large Russian population in these areas is a legacy of 19th-century industrialization, and more recent migration during the Soviet-era. At independence, most Russians accepted Ukrainian sovereignty. However, tensions are now rising as both groups adopt more extremist nationalist policies.
In Crimea, relations between Russians, ethnic Ukrainians and Tartars are becoming increasingly tense. Crimea has a majority Russian population, but is also home to the Tartars, a Turkic-speaking people. The Tartars were deported "en masse" to the eastern USSR under Stalin in 1945. They have been returning to the region since 1990 and now comprise roughly 10% of its population.
