The War in Ukraine and De-Westernization as Historical Task: Opportunities and Limits

Abstract

In the article the author mentions that A.A. Zinoviev was the fi rst to introduce the concept of Westernization into the Russian philosophical and journalistic context. But he viewed the problem of Westernization and the radical onslaught of the new world order only through the prism of the struggle of communism and capitalism in the 20th century and thus was methodologically limited. Zinoviev did not use the term “De-Westernization” either. Neither do we fi nd in his works any conceptual moves suitable for analyzing the Ukrainian situation. Therefore, at the new historical stage we are forced to think more concretely about the new round of Russia's struggle with the West, he problem and the need for “De-Westernization” for Russia and the areas of its traditional presence without Zinoviev, independently and relying on other thinkers. In the article the author registers that February 24, 2022, Russia took an action that was on the border-line between boldness and audacity. After all, we already live having one leg in the postmodern era. And this presupposes the presence of an appropriate type of personality who is not ready to suffer and fi ght hardships for the sake of ideals. So are we really ready for war? The article also claims that the main goal of the SVO (limited special operation) is actually the de–Westernization of Ukraine. It should be not only and not so much about its denazifi cation, but about its “De-Westernization” and deliberation, because the fi rst presupposes the second as its condition and cause. After all, the main ideological mainstream in the so-called independent Ukraine was always liberal-pro-European, it was about the European choice and Ukraine's joining the West that was hostile towards Russia, and undoubtedly Nazism present in Ukraine still served as an auxiliary tool for that purpose. The article analyzes K.N. Leontiev's concept of Byzantium and its applicability to modern Russia. The author considers what De–Westernization of Ukraine and Russia might comprise today, and what its limits are under the present conditions - eclecticism in Russian ideology.