Conflict and the changing geography of state capacity: Ukraine since 2013

Considerable attention has focused on Ukraine as a divided country along ethno-cultural lines. But regional economic differences and trends over time are the primary drivers that influence citizens' wellbeing and likewise contribute to a sense of place. This article focuses on how Ukraine's economic development has unfolded across the country during a time of conflict and how these changes can be understood. Using the framework of state capacity, aggregate data reflective of human security are adduced to illustrate and suggest reasons for these shifting patterns and the implications thereof for a postwar Ukraine. Findings suggest that the spatial realignment of Ukraine's economy has been and will continue to be a function of location, markets, and human capital.