A number of international sanctions have been placed on Russia since it launched an attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in order to persuade the country to de-escalate the conflict. The sanctions imposed on Russia, while designed to harm the Russian economy, had unintended consequences on the world economy, primarily through the disruption of global supply chains. Energy supply shocks, commodities and trade supply shocks were all caused by the conflict. In many nations, this resulted in an increase in worldwide inflation. Despite the fact that Israel and Turkey were instrumental in mediating a peaceful end of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the economic fallout from the crisis continued to reverberate throughout Europe and beyond.

Political image is formed in the mass consciousness, and has the kind of a stereotype, emotionally colored image of a political leader. Political image has a purely integral essence and is derived from the psychological, physiological and intellectual characteristics of the leader, aimed at the object of image perception. The image of a political leader is the essence and objective unit of communicative interaction in the system «political leader – the masses». He feels the interaction of various factors, which can be conventionally referred to as communication filters. At the same time, the essence of an effective image-making process is to see and take into account these barriers in time and achieve the greatest perception of the leader’s image. The specificity of a political leader in society is that citizens usually form their ideas about politicians not as a result of direct contact with them, but on the basis of symbolic politician representation in the media. Ideology and programs as the subject basis of political communication between leaders and the masses are increasingly being replaced by the image of a politician being created and promulgated in the media. The presence of a political leader in the media occurs as a necessary condition for his positioning in the political space. The formation of the leader political image during the war helps not only to achieve the political goals of the politician himself, but also affects the course of hostilities and the availability of world community support. The article attempts to analyze the political image of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi during the Russian-Ukrainian war and his influence on the war course. The author’s attention is focused on determining the image micro roles of the President, analyzing the impact of his image and rhetoric on the support of the world community and the decisions of the authorities of different countries. The author also explores how Ukrainians’ support for their president has changed since the beginning of the war. The author determines from which elements the image of a modern politician is built. Existing and additional micro roles of Volodymyr Zelenskyi image have been studied. The micro role of the President of Ukraine image among Ukrainians and at the international level is indicated. A content analysis of the President’s speeches in the British Parliament and the US Congress was performed. The impact of these speeches on the assistance to the Ukrainian army is analyzed. An increase in the level of support for the president by Ukrainians themselves since the beginning of the war has been revealed. The change in the image of the President of Ukraine among the international community and the level of support are shown.

Moscow and Kyiv vision of the interpretation of disputes about the past of the continuity of the historical roots of mutual statehood

Russian Federation’s attack of February 24, 2022 on Ukraine was no coincidence but a strategy to regain the status of superpower. Referring to history was its significant part. Indeed, that is a shared history, at least in the origin, though differently interpreted by both states, independent from 31 years. Based on the promoted from 16th Century vision of Russia as the Byzantine Empire’ successor, Putin’s Russian Federation claims the right to build an empire that would include all lands of the Russian Empire. It does not recognise independent statehood and Ukrainian nationality. The war was started to achieve that goal.

Trying to explain the term and essence of hybrid wars

Russian-Ukrainian conflict has contributed to the spread in the media and politics the term hybrid war. The purpose of this article is to encourage researchers to reflect on the pertinence of the use of the term and on the need to clarify it. The most important question highlighted in the course of analysis, lean toward determining of characteristics that would allow state clearly what kind of conflicts, using what techniques and from which point, you may to be called hybrid war

A culturally diverse school in Poland. Experiences of Bydgoszcz teachers in the first period of the war in Ukraine

The article describes the experiences of Bydgoszcz teachers working in culturally diverse schools in the first period of the war in Ukraine (from February 24 to April 22, 2022). The basis of the article is the analysis of the statements provided by the participants of the conference “A Ukrainian student in the Polish education system. How to help teachers create a multicultural learning environment?” organized at the Kazimierz Wielki University, by its Department of Didactics and Studies on Culture of Education and the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Centre for Teacher Education in Bydgoszcz. The statements presented in the article concern the experience of eighty teachers from Bydgoszcz schools of various levels as well as academics, doctoral students and students working in educational institutions. The article is a contribution to the methodical trend of intercultural pedagogy. It contains practical tips on the work of teachers in culturally diverse classes, developed on the basis of current statements provided by people taking care of refugees from Ukraine.

Contemporary Russian propaganda and the war in Ukraine

The article is an attempt to analyze contemporary Russian propaganda through the prism of the war in Ukraine. The purpose of the research is to assess the effectiveness of contemporary Russian propaganda in this area. The research was based on a qualitative methodology with the use of a source analysis strategy. Research showed the contemporary Russian propaganda has a significant impact on the perception of the war in Ukraine among Russians – although its effectiveness is showing a decrease.

The article examines the concept and legal aspects of creating a special international tribunal regarding the crime of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Although this research topic first emerged after the events of 2014 related to the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea, scientific interest in the study of this problem increased after the criminal full-scale invasion of Russia on the territory of the sovereign state of Ukraine. The author considers the evolution of creation of select military tribunals, the specifics of their activities, and the established practice of prosecuting the crimes of aggression. Additionally, the analysis focuses on statements regarding the idea of creating a special international tribunal for the Russian Federation for crimes of aggression against Ukraine. It is substantiated that the highest form of international justice in the modern world is a tribunal, as it provides for a public and inevitable punishment and it acts as one of the elements guaranteeing the inviolability of the international legal order at the same time. The creation of a special tribunal for the Russian Federation will be the impetus for new approaches to expand the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court so that it can prosecute acts of aggression, and Ukraine will serve as an example for responding to aggression. The author determined, the establishment of an international tribunal for the first time is a complex process because it is often necessary to find new and completely original solutions to many legal and practical problems facing the tribunal. Moreover, the sum total of these decisions should provide the basis for a reasonable and universally applicable jurisdiction for future generations, at the same time allowing the tribunal to take into account the social, cultural and historical context of the conflict in question and to reflect this context to some extent in its decisions and practice.

The article considers the issue of the migration crisis of Ukrainian refugees to EU member states caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. An elucidation was made as to the quantity of Ukrainian refugees taken in by European states since the Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine commenced. An analysis of forms of protection for individuals in the European Union is conducted, including refugee status and temporary protection. The legislation of refugee status in the EU is represented through the prism of the analysis of the Council Directive 2001/55/EC on temporary protection. The key difference between temporary protection and refugee status is defined. The key problems faced by European countries are highlighted; concurrently, the obstacles experienced by Ukrainian refugees are presented, namely, obtaining housing and employment. Special attention was paid to the issue of “fatigue” and exhaustion of social systems and ordinary citizens in EU countries. The authors present the results of the study on the mechanisms of providing protection and asylum to Ukrainian refugees in the EU. Furthermore, the 10-point strategy suggested by the European Commission to the European Council and the Justice and Home Affairs Council in order to support EU countries in their endeavor of admitting Ukrainian refugees has been duly given attention. The core research objectives revolve around the effectiveness of protection mechanisms for Ukrainian refugees in the EU, and any consequences said system may bring about for both the EU and Ukraine.

Tasks of intercultural education in the context of the war in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine initiated by the Russians makes one aware every day of the destruction of ideas and principles of peaceful problem solving developed over the years, and of the paradigm of cultural coexistence created in intercultural education. The aim of the article is to point out the need to undertake new tasks through intercultural education in the face of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Shaping a culture of peace, “making peace” has now become the leading task of intercultural education. The text points to the task of building on “good memory” as an opportunity and possibility of dealing with “bad memory”, the emancipation of national memories, the revitalization of heterology – the science of the Other, intercultural competences, the elimination of stereotypes and prejudices, one-sided negative and aggressive propaganda, etc. The article emphasizes the responsibility of intercultural education for creating the principles of democracy, revitalizing values symbolizing the common history with Ukraine, cooperation and collaboration in the process of functioning in European culture.

Cultural changes with war in the background – eliminating Russian culture from the space of Western culture as a form of solidarity with the nation and culture of Ukraine

The main axis of the article is the socio-cultural phenomena occurring since the outbreak of the Russian invasion in Ukraine in 2022, which has caused important changes not only in Europe, but also in other regions of the world. These changes have obvious political, economic, demographic, social and less obvious cultural dimensions. The latter take various forms, among which one is particularly controversial – it is the elimination of Russian culture from the cultural space of Western and other countries, among them Poland. This stems from solidarity with the Ukrainian people and an attempt to influence the attitudes of the Russian society, who, as research indicates, endorse the Russian invasion. The boycott mainly concerns artistic culture, symbolic in terms of the works of both living and deceased artists, contemporary and classical creations, both proand anti-war artists. Against this background, a public discussion unfolds on the legitimacy of all forms of boycott and the issue of collective responsibility. The theoretical context for the consideration of these phenomena is the concept of cancel culture. Empirical illustrations, on the other hand, are the studies on the discussed phenomena based on the opinion of students of social sciences.

World War II as a cause of changes in the administrative division of the Catholic Church. The example of the Diocese of Görlitz

War is a huge political change, which, in addition to its social, political, or economic effects, also has other effects. One of these may be the impact on churches and religious associations, especially on their organizational and administrative structures. An excellent example confirming this thesis is World War II, after which the organization of the Catholic Church in Europe was transformed and the Holy See revised the boundaries of archdioceses and dioceses in various countries for almost 50 years. In this article, the author addressed the specific case of the creation of the Diocese of Görlitz, which is the smallest diocese in modern Germany. Through his analysis he showed that the war has a huge impact on the functioning and efficient management in the Catholic Church and causes legal and interpretative difficulties in its administrative division and consequently, the division of competencies, while requiring delicacy, since strictly religious documents can be perceived in an explicitly political way.

Since the 1960s, African states have passed through different conflicts with reasons such as politics, ethnic, religious, and resource-based conflicts such as border or land disputes, and several other causes. The Northern Senatorial zone of Plateau State, Nigeria has witnessed several violent conflicts between 2001 and 2023 with several scholars assessing the immediate causes and its impact without looking at the remote causes. This study examines the history of conflicts in the Northern Plateau Senatorial zone and its persistent nature with its root causes. The study adopted history research method, which comprised primary and secondary sources. Data was obtained by the researcher from oral interviews in the Jos metropolis and across Plateau North. Also, books and Journals from the University of Jos and the National Library Jos branch provided quality data. The conflict in the Northern Plateau comprising five out of the six local council areas evolved from instances of clashes and skirmishes as a result of spontaneous ethnic and religious provocations and reactions to planned attacks between Christians and Muslins in Jos North and South starting from 2001, guerilla-style reprisals, cattle rustling, herder/farmer clashes across Bassa, Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs. The study found out that the root cause of conflicts in the Northern Plateau was the British colonial policies of the 1900s, which led to the massive influx of immigrants that settled permanently in Jos North and South, Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Bassa LGAs. The study discovers that the conflict in Northern Plateau has led to pervasive insecurity of lives and property, as evidenced by the spate of cattle rustling, armed robbery attacks, assassinations, and ethnic and religious feuds coupled with the seeming helplessness of security agencies to handle criminal attacks on civilian populations in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bassa LGAs. The study recommends that security can be secure if freedom and justice are allowed to reign through arresting perpetrators and punishing them severely, allowing freedom of economic, political and social participation for all citizens of Plateau State without ethnic or religious discrimination.

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.

In this article, I would like to show that the “Siege of Sarajevo” is one such fragment of the past that has grown into a national myth. It will not be an abuse to say that today this city, by the fact that it constantly bears the marks of war, has become a kind of sanctuary for the Bosnian ethnos.

Evolution of Russian(Soviet)-Japanese relations from 1699 to 1941

Russian(Soviet)-Japanese contacts have a tradition of over 300 years. The author focuses in the article on a brief exemplification and analysis of unofficial Russian-Japanese contacts since the 18th century and their official relations until the signing of the Treaty of Neutrality between the Soviet Union and Japan in April 1941. In total, four parts of the article are devoted to the analysis, apart from the introduction and conclusion. The first part of the article covers the period of unofficial relations between the two countries, which was characterized by two contradictory tendencies. Russia is pursuing territorial expansion towards the Pacific Ocean, while Japan maintains a policy of voluntary closure to the outside world. The second part deals with the official relationship between them from the Treaty of Shimoda to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. During this period, both countries are guided by a policy of territorial expansion, which led to a war between them. The third part is related to the period from the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty in 1905 to the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917. This was the only period of mutual friendship between Russia and Japan. The last part was the years from the February and October Revolutions in Russia to the conclusion of the neutrality pact in April 1941. At that time, one of the external interventions against Soviet Russia was Japan. However, after the Japanese troops were driven out of Soviet territory in the Far East, the two countries establish official diplomatic relations. In the 1930s, mutual relations deteriorated, and in the complicated international situation that existed at the time, Moscow and Tokyo signed the Neutrality Pact in April 1941. At the end of the article, several conclusions were formulated.

The war in Ukraine in historical and political dimensions

When starting operations in Ukraine, the Russian Federation set itself specific strategic goals. To determine the degree to which these goals have been achieved, they should be correlated with the course of Russian activities to date. The first phase of the Russian military operation ended in failure, and the implementation of the set strategic goals should be considered very difficult or even impossible. The initial answer may be that the war was planned and started by the Kremlin and its security services, not professional military officials. This is where the Russians ignored certain basic principles of the art of war and the concept of new generation war itself. The Russians have not designated a commander-in-chief in the Ukrainian theater of war.

Nuclear powers are losing wars too! Clash in the cognitive domain – Russian nuclear blackmail vs. Ukraine’s chances of victory

The clash conducted in the cognitive domain is aimed at influencing the will, determination, coherence of decision-making centers and threat assessment, at the level of individuals, groups and entire societies. Freedom of speech and multicentricity, make democratic societies more vulnerable to influence in the cognitive domain. Strategic signaling of nuclear readiness plays a special role among the leverage tools used by the Russian Federation. The interests of Western states have been and continue to be violated by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, the potential of Western states exceeds Russian potential many times over in a number of areas. Russia can count on a favorable resolution of the conflict for itself due to a calculation that takes into account the effective disruption of Western unity and determination to support a belligerent Ukraine, an element of which is the aforementioned threat of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons.

In this study, the author attempts to provide a landscape of crime in the wake of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in February 2022. After a general outline of the structure of the public security system in Ukraine and the conditions under which the crime-fighting services operate, the major changes in the crime structure that have taken place since the Russian military invasion of Ukraine are discussed. The article also provides a synthesis of the impact of the conflict on crime rate in Poland.