Patriotic Education as a Factorin The Formation of National Identity in the Conditions of Russian Aggression

The article examines the features of patriotic education of Ukrainian youth in the context of the formation of national identity. It is noted that this process was significantly intensified in the context of Russian aggression, when the entire Ukrainian people united into one, defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, democratic values, human rights and freedoms. Today, Ukraine is an outpost of European civilization, protecting it from the expansion of the Russian Federation. It is noted that in the context of increasing current threats and challenges, national-patriotic education is an important security factor, as it is aimed at forming the national identity of young people, their willingness to defend their homeland. It is emphasized that patriotism is the basis for the formation of national identity. It is pointed out that, in essence, national identity is a multidimensional concept that can integrate cultural, ethnic, professional, regional, gender, or other types of identities, preserving each of them. It is noted that several identity groups coexist in Ukraine, each of which seeks to become national. The first group includes identities that have a strong national-patriotic character, focused on preserving the identity of Ukrainians, the development of national language, culture, customs and more. The second group is partly pro-European cosmopolitan identities, focused on democratic pan-European values, seeking integration with the European Union. The third group includes pro-Russian identities, which are disappearing in the face of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, as Russia has completely discredited itself by destroying peaceful towns and villages, killing civilians. The last, fourth group consists of cosmopolitan identities that perceive themselves as citizens of the vanished USSR and do not accept the values of the three previous groups. It is noted that the idea of polyethnic, social, political harmony on the basis of the generally accepted goal – ensuring the spiritual and material well-being of the citizens of Ukraine should be the basis for the formation of national identity; The idea of patriotism, love for Ukraine as a defining value; national self-esteem and respect for representatives of other nations and national minorities. It is emphasized that in the conditions of Russian aggression there is an active formation of national identity, which is based primarily on supporting the culture and language of the titular Ukrainian ethnic group, education of patriotism and the formation of the Ukrainian political nation.

Subjectivation Versus Massization of Ukrainian Society

The article analyses the transformation in modern Ukraine in specific manifestations of their specificity, namely – the subjectivation and massization of Ukrainian society. In analysing this problem, parallels are drawn with the conclusions of already developed concepts and ideas of foreign and Ukrainian philosophers. In the modern civilized world, according to the worldfamous scientist F. Fukuyama, there are two mutually exclusive processes dependent primarily on Western civilization. One of them is the defragmentation of communities by group identities: professional, age, religious, sexual, etc. Such a mosaic of community leads to the disappearance of unity in the country, the growth of mutual claims, misunderstandings and conflicts, the individuation of members of society to the existence of atomised individuals who lose touch with their social environment. On the other hand, there is a process of identifying the mass of people as social beings with more powerful groups, primarily nations, which leads to mutual claims at the international level and threats of authoritarianism and destruction of democracies in certain countries, especially those that have entered the modernisation process. And yet F. Fukuyama believes that understanding is possible. It is worth looking for and finding a reasonable compromise that leads to consensus. According to the author of this intelligence, such a process can be tentatively described as the formation of “liberal nationalism”. The article concludes that strengthening the subjectivity of modern Ukraine is a necessary condition for its self-affirmation as an independent state – a self-sufficient actor in the historical arena. One of the main directions in the development of subjectivation is the demassization and demassification of post-Soviet society, overcoming all signs of its postcolonialism.

The subject of the article is the importance of the United States in Poland’s military security policy in relation to the war in Ukraine. The article begins with an introduction discussing its main assumptions and a synthetic historical background of the importance of the US for Poland and its security. The main part of the article is divided into two parts, the first one discussing the importance of the US in Poland’s military security policy after the Cold War. The second part is devoted to the change in the importance of the US in this policy in connection with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the main factors that determine this change. The aim of the article is to identify and analyze the changes in the importance of the United States in the Polish military security policy as a result of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022. The main research problem is whether the importance of the US in Poland’s military security policy increased as a result of the war, and if so, because of what main factors? The thesis of the article states that the war in Ukraine increased the importance of the US as the main external guarantor of Poland’s security and defense. This is due to the leading role played by the United States in military support for Ukraine and strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, including Poland, in the absence of leadership from Western European powers. The research included interviews with scientists and analysts from research centers in Washington and New York.

After Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, social media became a key source of information for young people, surpassing traditional media in terms of speed and accessibility. Research shows that platforms such as Telegram, YouTube, and Facebook are most frequently used by Generation Z to follow war events. This article discusses the importance of social media in shaping young people’s opinions about the armed conflict in Ukraine. According to the authors, social media is the main source of information about the surrounding world for the young generation. Therefore, they should be attributed a significant role in Generation Z’s perception of reality.

The article aims to identify some of the misrepresentations of Ukraine that originated in Russia and led to distorted perceptions of Ukraine in the English-speaking academia. Apart from that, the article aims to expose the reasons behind the emergence of such misrepresentations, the way to counter them, and the pitfalls of using them in security analysis. The article hypothesizes that the traditional colonial perception of Ukraine prevents Western scholars and policy-makers, whom these scholars consult, from adequately interpreting and securitizing the acuteness of the contemporary Russian threat. To complete the research, the article draws from decolonial and securitization theories. The article argues that the centuries-long othering and denial of agency of Ukraine, combined with the lack of specific expertise on the country and the colonial tradition of knowledge production, led to a comparatively inconsistent response of Western academia to the post-2014 Russian aggression against a sovereign nation. To address the existing inadequacy, Western scholars should become more open to the opinions of their Ukrainian colleagues, accept the merit of unconventional perspectives, and revise Russo-centrism in research frameworks and teaching curricula.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022–2023/2024. Selected military aspects

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has achieved the opposite of its intended result. Russia has suffered a strategic defeat, losing the battle for Ukraine in 2022. Putin is trying to settle for a half-hearted result – the occupation and annexation of Crimea, Donbas and Kherson and Zaporizhia regions. The West has shown an attitude of unity and solidarity with Ukraine, providing major military, economic and humanitarian support. The U.S., Britain, Germany, Poland and the Baltic states have played a major role in this process. Far-reaching economic sanctions have been imposed against Russia and the settlement of war crimes has been announced. Overcoming many internal problems, Ukraine has united in the face of an invasion and existential threat from Russia. Putin’s pursuit of a solution to the “Ukrainian question” has accelerated the consolidation of the Ukrainian people and state. By resisting aggression, Ukraine has convinced Western governments and societies of its commitment to European values and the Euro-Atlantic security system. Firm and swift action in retrofitting Ukraine’s Armed Forces with the necessary equipment and ammunition will allow a definitive solution to Russia’s imperial inclinations.