| Total population | |
|---|---|
| est. 400,000[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Zakarpattia region and Odesa region | |
| Languages | |
| Ukrainian, Para-Romani | |
| Religion | |
| Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam |
The presence of a Romani minority in Ukraine was first documented in the early 15th century.[2] The Romani maintained their social organizations and folkways, shunning non-Romani contacts, education and values, often as a reaction to anti-Romani attitudes and persecution. They adopted the language and faith of the dominant society, being Orthodox in most of Ukraine, Catholic in Western Ukraine and Zakarpattia Oblast, and Muslim in Crimea.
The Romani people originate from Northern India,[3][4][5][6][7][8] presumably from the northwestern Indian states Rajasthan[7][8] and Punjab.[7]
The linguistic evidence has indisputably shown that roots of Romani language lie in India: the language has grammatical characteristics of Indian languages and shares with them a parts of the basic lexicon, for example, body parts or daily routines.[9]
More exactly, Romani shares the basic lexicon with Hindi and Punjabi. It shares many phonetic features with Marwari, while its grammar is closest to Bengali.[10]
Genetic findings in 2012 suggest the Romani originated in northwestern India and migrated as a group.[4][5][11] According to a genetic study in 2012, the ancestors of present scheduled tribes and scheduled caste populations of northern India, traditionally referred to collectively as the Ḍoma, are the likely ancestral populations of modern European Roma.[12]
In February 2016, during the International Roma Conference, the Indian Minister of External Affairs stated that the people of the Roma community were children of India. The conference ended with a recommendation to the Government of India to recognize the Roma community spread across 30 countries as a part of the Indian diaspora.[13]
During the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Roma people suffered since the often lack of civil status documentation held off their access to humanitarian assistance. Several sources report denying refugees access to European countries.[14] EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) called for special attention to Roma seeking sanctuary.[15]
The previous discouragement of the education of Roma girls hit them harder after the war disturbance in the education system.[16] Romani Ukrainians are also fighting Russian soldiers in Liubymivka.[17] Despite being part of a marginalized minority, hundreds or Roma volunteered to fight for the Ukraine army.[18]
Romani are scattered throughout Ukraine, but their largest concentration is in Zakarpattia Oblast. Half live in cities. 35% consider Romani their mother tongue. Material culture has not differed from the dominant society except in dress. They have a rich folk tradition. Romani themes can be found in Ukrainian literature.
The Muslim Roma migrated from Central Asia in the 17th and 18th century to Crimea peninsula.[19]
