The growth of xenophobia and ethnic hostility during the Russian-Ukrainian war

Abstract

During the next stage of the Russian-Ukrainian war, started with a full-scale military invasion to Ukraine, the signs of growing xenophobia and ethnic hatred Ukraine has been found, which is the aim of this study. The research methods are based on monitoring of the ethnic and ethnopolitical components of the Russian- Ukrainian war – official and political statements, media reports on crimes based on ethnic hatred, systematic analysis of opinion polls that reflect the ethnicity of the war parties and case studies - analysis of individual situations, which illustrate the rapid degradation of interethnic Russian-Ukrainian cooperation during the Russian war. Despite the high level of xenophobia researching, the convection war waged by Russia against Ukraine has not yet been studied in the current context of total digitalisation, which allows tracking ethnic hatred crimes in real time. Despite the fact that any conventional war is a priori accompanied by an increase in xenophobia and ethnic hatred, as citizens of both states during hostilities in the status of combatants and civilians are being killed, the Russian-Ukrainian war is complicated by a number of circumstances that exacerbate the atmosphere of ethnic hatred and lead to an increase in xenophobia. Although no official increase in xenophobia has been recorded during the Russian-Ukrainian war, as it has not yet been measured, a number of factors analyzed in the article point to an unprecedented rise in Russophobia in Ukrainian society in response to the Russian military invasion. The degree of ethnic hatred is increased by anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and intentions to denationalize Ukraine by the Russian military and political leadership (to destroy the Ukrainian state, the Ukrainian nation), war crimes committed by the Russian military in Ukraine, non-compliance with humanitarian law during the war to intimidate and increase casualties increase civilians, which leads to a humanitarian catastrophe in the settlements of Ukraine. Capture and deliberate destruction of infrastructure, which provides basic needs and livelihoods of people, makes it impossible to maintain normal, decent living conditions in Ukraine. The actions of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine show all the signs of a crime of genocide. Although xenophobia is a destructive phenomenon, an obstacle to democratic development, it has been suggested that defensive Russophobia and ethnic hatred of Russia and Russians are at the core of the consolidation and resilience of Ukrainian society to achieve victory over Russia, a necessary component of preserving the state subjectivity of Ukraine. Key words: Russian-Ukrainian war, xenophobia, genocide.