ПОЛІТИЧНИЙ СИМВОЛІЗМ "БІЛОГО" ХРЕСТА ЗБРОЙНИХ СИЛ УКРАЇНИ В КОНТЕКСТІ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ОСІННЬОГО КОНТРНАСТУПУ 2022 РОКУ

Abstract

The article notes that the "white" cross of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a (insignia)\tactical sign that has not only a utilitarian function of identification friend or foe. Also, this sign gained an additional religious and ideological meaning. In a religious context, this symbol is identified as the Greek cross, the catacomb cross, and also the Constantine cross (the monogram of Constantine the Great), "the sign of victory". The historical and mythological basis of the appearance of this symbol is analyzed. It is proved that there are clear historical parallels between the political situation of the times of Constantine the Great and the history of Independent Ukraine. The appearance of the Constantine cross is associated with turning points in Roman history: the victory of the new political system over the old one, the legalization of the new dominant religion, the crisis of the existing political system, and the sacralization of the new power model and the new ruler. In the same way, the appearance of the "white" cross of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is connected with the existential desire of the Ukrainian people for victory, the end of nation-building process through a common history (war), the struggle for the right to live, the birth of a common ideological basis for state-building, which is understood and supported by citizens. Ultimately, overcoming a political crisis and an inefficient state management system is common in both cases. The war in this case acts as a catalyst for this process. The "white" cross on military equipment, vehicles, avatars in social networks is a way to distinguish and unite people depending on their value system. Moreover, the interpretation of this symbol happens naturally ("not from above") through the process of perception and understanding by citizens (military and civilian) of the Ukrainian state. Actually, these perceptions, experiences and empathy are related to the (insignia)\tactical symbol of the Armed forces and they have the potential to transform into a symbol of value orientations, the Ukrainian way of life, the ideological foundations of the state and the national identity itself at the current stage of the Ukrainian history.