Prospects of Countering the Ideology of Ruscism During the Russo-Ukrainian War and in the Post-War Period

Authors

  • Viktor LOZA Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science, Scientific Establishment Academy “Ukrainian Politeia” Email: loza.viktor.07@gmail.com ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0324-8418 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0324-8418

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59553/2518-7546-2025-23-24-10

Keywords:

Ideology, civilizational identity, values, ruscism, political regime, militarism, military doctrine, war, Russian- Ukrainian war, occupation, resistance to aggression, derashization.

Abstract

The article is dedicated to analyzing the prospects of countering the ideology of Rashism in the context of the Russo- Ukrainian war and the post-war period. Rashism, as an aggressive and chauvinistic ideology that is shaped by contemporary Russian politics, serves as one of the key elements justifying Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The paper examines strategic and tactical methods of combating this ideology at different stages of the confiict, from military operations to information and cultural warfare. Special attention is given to the necessity of establishing an international support system for Ukraine, developing national identity, and building mechanisms for long-term resistance to Russian propaganda. The article also highlights the challenges that may arise in the post-war period, particularly in terms of societal rehabilitation and restoring stability. The role of education, media, and international organizations in overcoming Rashism and its consequences for future generations is evaluated.

References

From «Denazification» of Ukraine to «Preserving Russia»: How the Kremlin Changes the Goals of Its Full-Scale Invasion. https://www.slovoidilo. ua/2023/06/21/infografika/suspilstvo/denacyfikacziyi-ukrayiny- zberezhennya-rosiyi-yak-kreml-zminyuye-czili-povnomasshtabnoho- vtorhnennya (Date accessed: October 14, 2023)

«Ukraine – The Place of Your Inglorious Finale» / The Office of the President Commented on the «New War Goals» Announced by Putin. URL: https://suspilne. media/277391-putin-nazvav-novu-metu-vijni-v-ukraini/ (Date accessed: March 11, 2023)

How the Kremlin Changed the Goals of the War Against Ukraine. Center for Countering Disinformation. URL: https://cpd.gov.ua/main/yak-kreml- zminyuvav-czili-vijny-proty-ukrayiny/ (Date accessed: October 25, 2023)

Khinkulova K., Prysedska V. Two Years of the Great War: Answers to Five Key Questions. URL: https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c89nnw78n81o (Date accessed: November 29, 2024).

ISW Analyzed Putin’s Statements About «Achieving Goals» in the War AgainstUkraine.URL:https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2023/12/15/7433166/ (Date accessed: March 4, 2024).

Kucheryavets M. “The ‘Critical Period’ of the War and New Goals of Russia: Intelligence Reveals Putin’s Plans.” URL: https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/ kritichniy-period-viyni-ta-novi-tsili-rosiyi-1700730593.html (Date accessed: March 11, 2024).

Pohorila I. «Putin Let Slip About the Goals of the War Against Ukraine» / Bild. URL: https://www.unian.ua/world/peregovori-rf-i-kiyeva-putin- progovorivsya-pro-cili-viyni-v-ukrajini-12572712.html (Date accessed: May 13, 2024).

Riabchuk M. “Calling Things by Their Names: Russian Propaganda Rhetoric as a Probable Evidence of Genocidal Intentions.” Political Studies. 2023. No. 2. Pp. 152–154.

Global Hybrid Warfare: The Ukrainian Front: Monograph / edited by V. P. Horbulin. Kharkiv: Folio, 2017. 496 p.

Putin Wrote an Article on the «Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians»: Key Points. URL: https://www.slovoidilo.ua/2021/07/12/novyna/polityka/ putin-napysav-stattyu-pro-istorychnu-yednist-rosiyan-ukrayincziv- holovni-tezy (Date accessed: April 16, 2023).

Loza V. O. “Some Political Aspects of Russia’s Aggression Crimes in Ukraine.” State and Law. Series: “Legal and Political Sciences”: Collection of Scientific Papers. Kyiv: Yurydychna Dumka, 2022. Issue 92. Pp. 273–282.

Churykova N. «Genocidal Rhetoric Has Become Mainstream in Russia.» URL: https://www.holosameryky.com/a/genocidna-rytoryka-staje- mainstreamom/6851789.html (Date accessed: March 20, 2023).

Medvedev announced a constant pretext for war against Ukraine. URL: https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-medvedyev-pohrozy-isnuvannya- ukrayiny/32778269.html (Date accessed: March 17, 2024)

Medvedev stated that Ukraine is Russia. Ukrayinska Pravda. URL: https:// www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/03/4/7444855/ (Date accessed: March 17, 2024)

Medvedev called for the complete liquidation of the Ukrainian state / ISW. URL: https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-medvedev-likvidacija- ukrajiny-isw/32862639.html (Date accessed: March 17, 2024)

Capitulation of Ukraine in seven points. Medvedev clearly outlined Russia’s true objectives in the war since the invasion: what it means. URL: https://nv.ua/ ukr/world/geopolitics/medvedyev-viklav-sim-punktiv-pro-kapitulyaciyu- ukrajini-i-formulu-miru-rf-analiz-novini-rosiji-50401332.html (Date accessed: March 17, 2024)

Ohrenchuk A. Why Russia’s war against Ukraine is genocide of the Ukrainian people. URL: https://lcf.ua/thought-leadership/litigation/chomu- vijna-rosiyi-proti-ukrayini-ye-genotsidom-ukrayinskogo-narodu (Date accessed: April 25, 2023)

Vyshnyakova A. Ideologists of genocide: how to punish Russian propagandists for calls to destroy Ukrainians. URL: https://www.eurointegration. com.ua/articles/2023/11/30/7174556/ (Date accessed: February 17, 2024).

Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Russia’s true objectives in the war against Ukraine. URL: https://armyinform.com.ua/2022/06/29/volodymyr-zelenskyj- nazvav-spravzhni-czili-rosiyi-u-vijni-proty-ukrayiny/ (Date accessed: January 18, 2023)

ISW analysts outlined Putin’s war objectives in Ukraine. URL: https:// www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/3522816-analitiki-isw-nazvali-cili-vijni- putina-v-ukraini.html (Date accessed: February 19, 2023)

Lazur N. Putin’s new goal in the war against Ukraine: U.S. officials revealed what he will do. URL: https://24tv.ua/viyna-rosiyi-proti-ukrayini-putina- mozhe-buti-nova-tsil-yak-vin_n2404112 (Date accessed: December 9, 2023).

Undermining Ukraine: How Russia widened its global information war in 2023. URL: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/ report /undermining-ukraine-how-russia-widened-its-global-information- war-in-2023/ (Date accessed: February 22, 2024)

Human Rights Council establishes an Independent International Commission of Inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of human rights in the context of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. URL: https:// www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/03/human-rights-council- establishes-independent-international-commission (Date accessed: February 15, 2023)

Berger, Peter L., Luckmann, Thomas. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. Penguin Books. URL: https://web.archive. org/web/20191009202613id_/http://perflensburg.se/Berger%20social- construction-of-reality.pdf (Date accessed: October 4, 2023).

Gorbatенко V. P., Kukuruz O. V. Constructing Political and Legal Reality: Theory, Methodology, Practice. Pravova Derzhava. 2021. Issue 32. Pp. 475–481. URL: http://pravova-derzhava.org.ua/en/issues/pravova-derzhava.- volume-32-2021.html

Civilizational Identity of Ukrainians: History and Modernity / author group: O. Rafalsky (editor), Y. Kalakura, O. Kalakura, M. Yuriy. Kyiv: Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies named after I. F. Kuras, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2022. 512 p.

Doroshkevych A. Civilizational Identity. Political Science Encyclopedic Dictionary / edited by M. P. Trebin. Kharkiv: Pravo, 2015. 816 p.

Vakulova T. Identity. Political Science: Educational Encyclopedic Dictionary- Reference for Students / edited by N. M. Khoma. Lviv: «Novy Svit – 2000», 2014. 779 p.

Zemliuk V. P. Political Identity in Ukraine During the Crisis of “Developed Socialism” and the Achievement of State Independence: Abstract of Ph.D. thesis in Political Science: 23.00.02. Kyiv, 2007. 18 p.

Dobrzhanska O. L. Political Identity of Ukrainian Society in the Context of European Integration: Abstract of Ph.D. thesis in Political Science: 23.00.03. Kyiv, 2008. 20 p.

Rostecka S. I. Regional Identity as an Object of Scientific Analysis. Mолодий вчений (Young Scientist). 2016. No. 7. Pp. 495–499.

Kresina I. O. Ukrainian National Consciousness and Contemporary Political Processes: Ethnopolitical Analysis: Monograph / edited by. Kyiv: Vyshcha Shkola, 1998. 392 p.

Stepiko M. T. Ukrainian Identity: Phenomenon and Foundations of Formation: Monograph. Kyiv: NISD, 2011. 336 p.

Pelagesha N. Ukraine in the Semantic Wars of Postmodernism: Transformation of Ukrainian National Identity in the Context of Globalization. Kyiv: NISD, 2008. 288 p.

Zisels Y. On the Civilizational Identity of Ukrainian Society. URL: https:// nv.ua/ukr/opinion/istoriya-ukrajini-yak-formuvalas-identichnist-narodu- novini-ukrajini-50110482.html (Date accessed: May 8, 2023).

Six Fundamental Values of the European Union. Retrieved from https:// tuzlivska-gromada.gov.ua/news/1614603396/ (Date accessed: December 9, 2023)

Six Fundamental European Values as a Criterion for EU Membership. Retrieved from https://armyinform.com.ua/2021/09/06/shist-bazovyh- yevropejskyh-czinnostej-yaki-ye-odnym-iz-kryteriyiv-vstupu-u-yes/ (Date accessed: December 9, 2023)

Tsiupyn, B. (n.d.). European Values: Reality or Myth? Retrieved from https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/25131805.html (Date accessed: December 9, 2023)

Krysachenko, V. (2022). National Values of Ukraine: Essence, Diversity, Consolidation Potential. Ukrainoznavstvo, (1)82, 28–50

National Security Strategy of Ukraine, May 26, 2015. Retrieved from https:// www.president.gov.ua/documents/2872015-19070 (Date accessed: January 4, 2023)

Snyder T. Maidan and Self-Understanding (lecture). URL: https://snyder. substack.com/p/maidan- and-self-understanding-lecture?utm_ source=profile&utm_medium=reader2 (Date accessed: January 2, 2024)

Kagan, F., Bugayova, N., & Cafarella, J. Confronting the Russian Challenge: A New Approach for the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.understandingwar.org/ report/confronting-russian-challenge (Date accessed : April 11, 2023)

Lazarovych, M., & Myronenko, P. (2024). Muscovite-Ukrainian War (2014– 2024): A Monograph (4th ed., revised). Kyiv: Politiya.

Tkachenko, V. M. (2022). Ukraine – Russia: On the Edge of a Geopolitical Rift. Kyiv: Politiya.

Cook, C., & Stevenson, J. (2005). Twentieth-Century Europe. London: Pearson-Longman.

Reitschuster, B. (2015). Putinocracy: The Man of Power and His System (trans. from German). Kharkiv: Vivat.

Nuclear Club: Which Countries Possess the Most Deadly Weapons. Retrieved from https://chas.news/current/yadernii-klub-yaki-kraini-volodiyut- naibilsh-smertonosnoyu-zbroeyu (Date accessed: November 28, 2023)

Loza, V., Myronenko, V., Myronenko, P., Smolianiuk, V., & Chelak, O. (2024, January 21). The escalation of military threats as a reality of modern geopolitics. Malgue Publishing: Multidisciplinary Science Journal. Retrieved from https:// malque.pub/ojs/index.php/msj/article/view/1928 (Date accessed: February 27, 2024)

Manifesto for Sustainable Peace. Retrieved from https://sustainablepea- cemanifesto.org/ua (Date accessed: January 3, 2024).

Chupriy, L. (2023). Strengthening Ukraine’s Geopolitical Subjectivity and the Prospects of Russia’s Collapse in the Context of Contemporary Global Challenges. In Geopolitics of Ukraine: History and Modernity (Vol. 2, Issue 31, pp. 9-24). Uzhhorod: Uzhhorod National University.

Stepanenko, M. Restarting Russia: Part 2. Retrieved from https://www. united-ukraine. org.ua/post/restarting-russia-part-2-maxim- stepanenko (Date accessed : February 26, 2024)

Snyder, T. (2022). Ukraine Holds the Future: The War Between Democracy and Nihilism. Foreign Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ ukraine/ukraine-war-democracy-nihilism-timothy-snyder (Date accessed: April 16, 2023)

Snyder, T. Why the Ukrainian Victory is Important for the World? Retrieved from https://uinp.gov.ua/informaciyni-materialy/rosiysko- ukrayinska-viyna-istorychnyy-kontekst/dr-timothy-snyder-why-the- ukrainian-victory-is-important-for-the-world (Date accessed: March 24, 2023).

Ohryzko, V. (2021). The Collapse of Russia: Threat or Opportunity? Kyiv: State Publishing House for Information and Printing.

Artymyshyn, P. Divided and Ununified: How Russia Could Collapse. Retrieved from https://localhistory.org.ua/texts/statti/neiedina-i-podilna- iak-rozpadatimetsia-rosiia/ (Date accessed: February 4, 2023)

Kaspruk, V. Russia Faces Disintegration: By Waging War Against Ukraine, Putin is Destroying Russian Statehood. Retrieved from https://www. radiosvoboda.org/a/29529255.html (Date accessed: February 4, 2023)

Zinchenko, O. By 2030, We Will Certainly Not See Russia in Its Current Borders. Retrieved from https://suspilne.media/zhytomyr/696088-do-2030-roku- mi-tocno-ne-pobacimo-rosiu-v-teperisnih-kordonah-istorik-oleksandr-zincenko/ (accessed on May 17, 2024)

Applebaum, A. (2022). The Russian Empire Must Die. Retrieved from https://www.anneapplebaum.com/2022/11/14/the-russian-empire-must- die/ (Date accessed: May 27, 2023)

The Dissolution of the Russian Federation is Far Less Dangerous Than Leaving It Ruled by Criminals. Retrieved from https://www.euractiv.com/ section/politics/opinion/the-dissolution-of-the-russian-federation-is-a-far- less-dangerous-than-leaving-it-ruled-by-criminals/ (Date accessed: April 17, 2024)

Austin III, L. J. Marking Two Years Since Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/ Article/3686148/two-years-in-russias-war-on-ukraine-continues-to-pose- threat-to-global-security/ (Date accessed: April 10, 2024)

Blinken, A. J. Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Solo Press Availability. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-at-a-solo- press-availability-3/ (Date accessed: June 1, 2024)

Forum of Free Peoples in Warsaw Discusses De-Putinization of the Russian Federation. Retrieved from https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/3477950- u-varsavi-forum-vilnih-narodiv-rosii-diskutue-pro-deputinizaciu-rf.html (Date accessed: July 11, 2023)

Levus, D. (2023). The Disintegration of Russia. Trends. Retrieved from https://www.united-ukraine.org.ua/post/disintegration-of-russia-trends- 11-may-2023-year (Date accessed: January 19, 2024)

Ukrainian Parliament Forms a Special Commission to Develop State Policy on National Movements in the Russian Federation. (2023). Retrieved from https:// novynarnia.com/2023/08/24/tsk-narody-rf/ (Date accessed: April 18, 2024)

Danilov called on Western countries to prepare for the absolute decolonization of Russia. URL: https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/politics/rozpad-rf- danilov-zaklikav-zahidni-krajini-do-absolyutnoji-dekolonizaciji-rosiji- novini-ukrajini-50402597.html (Date accessed: April 21, 2024).

How realistic is the collapse of the Russian Empire? Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. URL: https://cpd.gov.ua/main/naskilky-realnyj-rozpad-rosijskoyi-imperiyi/ (Accessed: May 19, 2024)

Basarab M. Who should control the process of Russia’s collapse. URL: https://glavcom.ua/columns/mbasarab/khto-maje-kontroljuvati-prtses- rozpadu-rosiji-948971.html (Date accessed: November 7, 2023)

Snyder T. Opinion: Russia can lose this war. URL: https://edition.cnn. com/2024/05/08/opinions/victory-day-russia-war-ukraine-snyder/index. html (Date accessed: August 21, 2023).

Published

2025-03-15