ABSTRACT This study explores how poetry operates across distinct phases of cumulative, multi-layered trauma through the life history of a Ukrainian-American poet-songwriter and military chaplain who survived religious persecution in the USSR, military conscription, coercive psychiatric hospitalization, imprisonment, migration, and personal loss, and currently serves during the Russian-Ukrainian war. Drawing on qualitative life-history research and analysis of the respondent's poetry, findings indicate that poetic expression is not continuously accessible during trauma; rather, it is suspended during acute survival states and re-emerges retrospectively as a mechanism of integration, meaning-making, and identity reconstruction. Across the life trajectory, poetry functions as a private container of selfhood under stigma, a delayed narrative integrator of traumatic experience, a medium for transforming grief and reconfiguring attitudes toward death, and a relational and spiritual resource within pastoral care. This study extends poetry therapy scholarship beyond structured interventions, highlighting poetry as a context-dependent, lifelong adaptive practice at the intersection of trauma, spirituality, and systemic violence.

ABSTRACT This study examines tourist decision-making under compound crises by analysing Ukrainian tourism during the pandemic and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. It combines a literature review with empirical research conducted in 2020–2021. The empirical survey of 427 respondents was used to assess how crisis conditions shaped travel intentions, preferences, and safety-related tourist behaviour. The results show that socio-demographic factors, including income and gender, influence travel planning. Key determinants of travel decisions were found to be the length of stay, the uniqueness of tourist offers, the perceived safety and security, the monthly income of households, and price sensitivity. Despite restrictions, most respondents indicated preferences for domestic travel. The findings highlight behavioural adaptations of tourists and provide insights for developing a tourism resilience strategy.

Given the current challenges of combat operations in the context of the russian-Ukrainian war, there is an urgent need to improve the effectiveness of professional training for military personnel at the Armed Forces of Ukraine Training Center, in particular by developing military-professional responsibility. The purpose of the study is to analyze and identify the components and methodological approaches that determine the peculiarities of the formation of military-professional responsibility of military personnel at the Training Center. The leading research methods are: theoretical analysis of scientific conclusions and studies, systematic analysis, descriptive analysis, generalization, and forecasting. It has been established that the structure of military-professional responsibility is multi-component, including the following components: value, regulatory and legal, professional and operational, emotional and volitional, and reflective. In addition, we outlined the conditions that unquestionably determine the specifics of training military personnel at the Armed Forces of Ukraine Training Center, namely: the intensity of training cycles, the preference for activity-based methods, and the interconnection between training and the development of mental endurance. We focused on identifying the key provisions that should be implemented when planning educational activities. These include: monitoring the assimilation of military service norms and standards at all stages of training, acquiring practical skills for making responsible management decisions in practical activities, and developing a conscious need for professional reflection.

The paper explores the phenomenon of the digital presence of Ukrainian churches between 2014 and 2025, focusing on two major denominations the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Following the Revolution of Dignity, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and amid the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, religious organizations in Ukraine have actively entered the online space, utilizing social media, streaming platforms, mobile applications, and other digital tools to communicate with believers. This digital transition has profoundly reshaped how religious services are delivered and has become a crucial means of maintaining spiritual support during times of crisis. The study is based on the analysis of official church documents, digital platforms, and media resources of the UGCC and OCU, as well as on scholarly literature concerning digital religion and media communication. Additionally, the paper also analyzes the legal aspects of this digital presence, including the regulation of religious content on the Internet, compliance with data protection legislation, copyright issues, and the protection of freedom of conscience in the digital environment. The research also addresses the problem of fake religious resources and disinformation, which have become serious concerns in contemporary Ukrainian society.

The article is devoted to law-making activities in the field of combating pornography in Ukraine in the context of European integration and the Russian-Ukrainian war. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the legislator is forced to respond to threats to privacy and manifestations of digital violence against individuals. An analysis of the draft Law of Ukraine No. 14165 of 29 October 2025 has made it possible to formulate the reasons for revising the traditional approach to the criminalisation of actions involving pornographic items (Article 301 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The prospects for further criminalisation of the most socially dangerous manifestations of pornography circulation (exploitation, coercion, involvement of minors, distribution of materials without the consent of the person) are substantiated. Particular attention is paid to the innovation of draft law No. 14165 – the introduction of a special provision on liability for the illegal distribution of intimate materials and sexual content without the consent of the victim, in particular in the forms of «revenge porn» and the use of artificial intelligence technologies (deepfake). The article summarises European experience, which is dominated by a model of partial legalisation of the circulation of «adult» content, while strengthening criminal law protection of children and prohibiting violent forms of pornography production. The study argues that the definition of the limits of criminalisation should be based on standards of privacy protection (constitutional guarantees and approaches of the European Convention on Human Rights), as well as on the principle of proportionality of state intervention. It concludes that draft law No. 14165 is generally in line with current European trends and could contribute to the harmonisation of national criminal legislation with the EU acquis, but that some of its provisions need further refinement. Keywords: adaptation, draft law, criminalisation, criminal offence, morality, pornographic material, privacy, sexual freedom.

The article examines the nature of the Russian-Ukrainian war of the 21st century. as a hybrid that lasts longer than the Soviet-German times of the Second World War. The historical and legal characteristics of racism as a political ideology and social practice of modern fascism and the reasons for its emergence are revealed. The author’s vision of the national security system of Ukraine is given, its philosophical and legal foundations are revealed. Various aspects of the interaction between religion and national security are analyzed. The author’s vision of the role of religion in political life, the relationship between the national and religious ideas in the context of the religious and spiritual life of Ukraine, in the political analysis of the national and national-state society – the state – its constitutional system, sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability; territory, natural environment – from emergency situations. Interests of Ukraine are outlined in the religious and church sphere. The nature of the state policy in the sphere of national security and defense of Ukraine is revealed, as a system of measures aimed at protecting: people and citizens – their lives and dignity, constitutional rights and freedoms, safe living conditions. It was concluded that the problem of religious security comes to the fore in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian hybrid war of the 21st century as an important component of the national security system of Ukraine, therefore it needs further development in a separate strategy of religious and spiritual security and improvement of the regulatory framework and systemic understanding at categorical interdisciplinary levels

The socio-psychological and political-legal transformation of religion is studied through the prism of spiritualcultural, socio-political and security manifestations that determine the current state and prospects for the development of Ukraine in the near future. Changes in religious identity are analyzed and the specifics of the interaction of religious institutions with state structures, their influence on the formation of national consciousness and the cultivation of moral and ethical values are determined. The main attention is focused on the religious studies objectification of key factors of the revitalization of religion (the growth of the role of religious organizations and institutions, the restoration of their viability and the strengthening of their influence on the socio-political and spiritual-cultural life of the Ukrainian people, the choice of their moral and spiritual imperatives etc). The regularity of the growth of the potential of religion (Church) at the individual and collective levels is substantiated, which is largely due to the Russian-Ukrainian war and the many challenges determined by it in various spheres of our social existence. An attempt has been made to verify the place of religious organizations, in particular Orthodox churches, their positions, ideological and value orientations, narratives and participation in modern state-building processes, as well as their readiness to respond to post-materialist trends and political transformations, which are especially pronounced during serious threats, military conflicts and the preservation of national spiritual and cultural identity on this basis, ensuring social stability and security.

Humanitarian organizations play key roles in protecting children and shaping public, political, and media understandings of, and responses to, humanitarian crises and the people affected. Yet, representations of children in humanitarian social media communication – especially concerning crises in the global North – remain understudied. This study examines how UNICEF represents children affected by the Russian–Ukrainian war on Instagram from 2022 to 2023. Through a historical–diachronic Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of 150 posts, the authors found that UNICEF initially represented children primarily as vulnerable “ideal victims”, reinforcing saviour–saved divides. However, from May 2022 onwards, children were mostly portrayed as resilient individuals, presumably to engage audiences. Post-humanitarian appeals, including carousel formats and audience-centred calls, were barely used. This study extends previous research demonstrating that traditional humanitarian imageries still predominate on Instagram, nuancing the often-assumed importance of post-humanitarian appeals on social media. Humanitarian organizations should adopt more nuanced, contextualized representations.

The article analyzes the peculiarities of the institutional and regulatory framework that forms the basis for cooperation between the EU and Ukraine in the field of local self-government reform. It has been established that the main act defining the legal framework in the field of local self-government is the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine, which serves as a roadmap for the implementation of this reform. The EU and Ukrainian institutions involved in the implementation of local self-government reform have been identified. It was found that the common institutional formats are: the Ukraine-EU Summit, the Ukraine-EU Association Council, the civil society platform, the EU’s Eastern Partnership Initiative, and cross-border cooperation within the framework of Euroregions. Key internal and external constraints on the institutional and legal dimensions of interaction between the parties have been identified. The main obstacles hindering the process of interaction within the framework of this reform are the lack of a framework agreement in the field of local self-government, the low capacity of some communities to implement reforms, the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, the economic crisis, the occupation of territories and military actions, and the differences between European and Ukrainian legislation. The article uses the SWOT analysis method to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the institutional and legal dimensions of cooperation between the parties. Recommendations are made to improve cooperation between the EU and Ukraine, in particular the signing of a framework agreement on local self-government to regulate the strengthening of local self -government reform, the need for the EU to strengthen its monitoring of the reform, increasing the capacity of communities, involving local self-government associations in the EU-Ukraine dialogue, and creating contact platforms for interaction between Ukrainian and European communities. The conclusions emphasize that Ukraine’s accession to the EU will be a driving force for successful local self-government reform.

The article investigates the key determinants that have intensified the economic dimension of Ukraine’s economic diplomacy in the context of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation. The study aims to identify the main factors that have increased the strategic importance of economic diplomacy as an instrument for safeguarding national economic interests and ensuring the resilience of Ukraine’s economy during wartime. The research identifies the major destructive consequences of the Russian–Ukrainian war for the national economy, including large-scale damage to industrial and agricultural capacities, the destruction of transport and energy infrastructure, disruption of established production and logistics chains, and destabilization of the national energy supply system. These challenges have significantly increased the need for effective diplomatic mechanisms aimed at mobilizing external economic resources and strengthening international economic cooperation. Particular attention is devoted to the analysis of the transformation of Ukraine’s diplomatic activities in recent years, emphasizing their role in attracting international financial assistance, consolidating macro-financial support programs, stabilizing public finances, and facilitating access to foreign markets. The study argues that the Russian–Ukrainian war has fundamentally reshaped the format of Ukraine’s economic diplomacy, leading to a systemic reorientation of its strategic priorities and the modernization of diplomatic instruments used to promote national economic interests in the international arena. The article also examines Ukraine’s diplomatic practices in mobilizing external financial resources for post-war economic recovery, developing alternative logistics routes for exports, strengthening the country’s international economic image, and promoting mechanisms for war-risk insurance for foreign investors. The findings demonstrate that under wartime conditions Ukraine’s economic diplomacy has significantly expanded its functional scope and proven its capacity to adapt to rapid changes in the international political and economic environment.

The purpose of the study was to reconstruct T. Ash’s views on the causes, nature, and consequences of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, including Russia’s genocidal policy and war crimes, as well as the war’s prospects for Ukraine, Europe, Russia, and the world at large. The research methodology encompassed the principles of historicism, scholarly rigour, and authorial objectivity, alongside general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, and generalisation) and specialised historical methods (historico-genetic, historico-systemic, historico-analytical, critical-interpretive, problem-chronological, and retrospective). The study found that T. Ash consistently rejects explanations of the war through the lens of a “NATO threat”, interpreting it instead as a consequence of V. Putin’s imperial obsession with Ukraine, the Kremlin’s unwillingness to recognise Ukrainian statehood, and its fear of Ukraine’s democratic choice. It was demonstrated that the commentator characterises the war as existential for Ukraine, colonial in Russia’s intentions, and systemic in its international consequences. The study established that in T. Ash’s writing, war crimes appear not as incidental excesses of war but as elements of a deliberate strategy of terror, coercion, and the destruction of Ukrainian society. It was further shown that the expert directly applies the concept of a “genocidal campaign” to Russia’s actions, linking it to the denial of Ukraine’s right to exist, strikes against the civilian population, and attempts to render the normal functioning of the state impossible. It was separately determined that in T. Ash’s forecasts, the war will have long-term transformative consequences: for Ukraine – in the form of military and state consolidation; for Europe – in the form of a new security architecture; for Russia – in the form of strategic weakening; and for the world – as a test of democracies’ capacity to resist revisionist autocracy

ObjectiveTo assess the predictive significance of alexithymia regarding the risk of developing adjustment disorder among students continuing face-to-face education under conditions of full-scale war.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey of 445 Ukrainian university students was conducted between April and December 2022. Participants completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) and Adjustment Disorder New Module-8 (ADNM-8). Based on ADNM-8 scores, students were categorised into an adjustment disorder group (n = 228) and a control group (n = 217). Two logistic regression models were constructed to assess the predictive significance of total alexithymia score and individual subscale scores.ResultsAlexithymia was identified in 41.3% of participants and was significantly more prevalent among females (44.9% vs 25.6%; p < .001) and in the adjustment disorder group (54.4% vs 27.6%; p < .001). Difficulty identifying feelings (DIF) demonstrated the strongest correlation with adjustment disorder indicators (r = 0.460; p < .001) and was the sole significant predictor in the multivariate model (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.097-1.19).ConclusionsDIF is the strongest alexithymic predictor of adjustment disorder in wartime students. Findings support implementing targeted alexithymia screening in student mental health programmes and developing interventions focused on emotional literacy as a protective factor for psychological adaptation under extreme conditions.

Global supply chains has been facing growing levels of instability caused by different sources of global disruptions including global pandemics such as the recent COVID 19 outbreak and its massive impact on the global economy and global supply chains, geopolitical conflicts such as the conflicts in the Gulf and its impact on global fuel prices and accordingly logistics prices, large scale wars such as the Russian-Ukrainian War and its impact on the upstream of global food supply chains, economical turbulences which is directing global supply chains to find more effective ways to adapt. The supply chains that were able to respond the fastest to every disruption gained an edge over its competitors as the responsive supply chains were able to secure their upstream by keeping it consistent and had more leverage in their downstream through efficient management of their inventory levels and distribution networks hence having an optimized overall sales and operations planning cycle (S&amp;OP). Sales and operations planning cycle is the process of synchronizing the demand requested by market with the company capabilities of supply including demand planning, supply planning, production planning, distribution network planning and inventory management which all together play a vital role in creating a unified goal for the supply chain which is responding to demand in the most efficient way, This study focuses on the effect of optimizing inventory levels and transportation management within the sales and operations planning cycle on overall supply chain resilience through response time in the food industry within the Egyptian market using insights from previous literature review and theoretical perspectives proposing a conceptual framework.

This article explores one of the most complex issues in modern geopolitics: why do states use existential threats as a reason for war (casus belli)? How can we tell when such claims are based on genuine security concerns or when they are rhetorical tools hiding geopolitical interests? Using Jonathan Swift`s satirical allegory about the Lilliputians and Blefuscans, who go to war over a dispute about which end of a boiled egg should be broken, the author highlights a key dilemma: even in a world dominated by "naked power," states cannot act without legitimizing discourse, yet this discourse always remains ambiguous. Three ongoing conflicts are examined: the Russian-Ukrainian War (20142026), the US invasion of Iraq (2003), and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A comparative analysis reveals six common patterns in how justifications for war are constructed: framing history through shared traumatic memories, dehumanizing opponents through language, reframing self-defense as preventive, invoking civilizational rhetoric, reversing the roles of aggressor and victim, and selectively applying international law norms. The study shows that even in cases of outright aggression, aggressor states often convincingly portray themselves as victims  an essential way to gain support and reduce international condemnation. It underscores a fundamental asymmetry: the 2003 Iraq War was based on false threats; Russia`s invasion of Ukraine was justified with fabricated NATO threats; and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains highly complex, with both sides holding deeply rooted existential threat narratives, yet power imbalances lead to uneven responses. These findings highlight the importance of the Swiftian Paradox as an analytical framework and raise critical questions about how discourse is used to justify violence in the twenty-first century. Keywords: Swift`s paradox, casus belli, legitimisation of war, security discourse, existential threats, geopolitical rhetoric, enemy construction, realism, critical theory, international conflicts.

The article discusses the topical issue of using unmanned maritime systems (hereinafter referred to as UMS) for laying sea mines in the context of modern military conflicts. The growing role of unmanned technologies in military operations has necessitated a rethinking of traditional approaches to conducting combat operations at sea, particularly in the field of mine warfare. The purpose of the study is to analyze the effectiveness of UMSs in mine-laying operations, assess their impact on naval combat tactics and strategy, and identify new opportunities and challenges arising from their use. The study uses a comprehensive methodology that includes an analysis of modern technologies underlying the design of UMS, a review of examples of their use in military conflicts in recent years, particularly in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as a comparison with traditional methods of laying sea mines, which involve the participation of a classic navy with the use of surface ships and submarines. Particular attention is paid to the study of open sources, analytical materials, and reports, which ensures the objectivity and relevance of the conclusions presented. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the systematization of information on the use of UMS specifically for mining purposes, which previously remained an understudied topic. The analysis revealed a number of new tactical advantages, including the ability to covertly and safely perform combat tasks remotely, increased mobility, and the difficulty of detecting such systems by the enemy. At the same time, a number of challenges have been identified, in particular those related to technical navigation support, the risk of interception or loss of control, as well as the moral and ethical aspects of using UMS. The conclusions state that the use of UMS for laying sea mines is a promising direction for the development of the naval component of the armed forces, allowing for a significant reduction in risks to crews, optimization of resource costs, and increased efficiency in the performance of combat (special) tasks in difficult conditions. At the same time, the further implementation of such technologies requires the improvement of the regulatory framework, the development of safety standards, and the creation of systems to counter possible threats. The results obtained may be useful for specialists in the field of naval research, military planning, and developers of new weapons systems.

The effectiveness of the employment of military units under the current conditions of the russian-ukrainian war, among other factors, depends on the system of logistical support of the troops, one of the key elements of which is the organization of uninterrupted and adequate nutrition for personnel. The quality of food service organization directly affects the physical condition of servicemen, their endurance, moral and psychological resilience, and their ability to perform combat missions. The organization of food supply in field conditions has a number of specific features associated with the absence of stationary infrastructure, limited resources, and the need for rapid mobility due to active hostilities and the high reconnaissance capabilities of the enemy. To address these tasks, special technical means for food preparation are used, including field kitchens of various types and modifications, mobile catering complexes, auxiliary equipment, and the like. At present, the Armed Forces of Ukraine use technical means for food preparation produced both domestically and by foreign manufacturers from NATO member states that provide international military-technical assistance, as well as outdated models of Soviet manufacture. The purpose of this article is to determine the classification and technical characteristics of technical means for food preparation in field conditions that are currently used in Ukraine. Technical means for food preparation in field conditions are specialized tools, devices, and appliances, together with appropriate equipment, intended to provide personnel with full meals outside stationary food preparation (or distribution) facilities under various conditions: during the execution of combat (special) missions, exercises, training activities, on the march, etc. Taking into account design features, operating principles, technical and functional capabilities, methods of transportation, a classification of technical means for food preparation in field conditions is provided according to their functional properties, method of movement, type of energy source, level of mechanization, and role within the military food supply system. It should be noted that the main component of technical means for food preparation in field conditions consists of field kitchens, which, depending on the method of transportation (movement), are divided into trailer-mounted, vehicle-mounted, portable, and transportable types. The design features of each type of field kitchen determine their capabilities in terms of food preparation and storage, cooking a specified quantity of meals, production and storage of semi-finished products, food distribution, and ensuring appropriate dining conditions for personnel.

The main feature of the Russian-Ukrainian war is the complex use of high-precision weapons by the enemy against ground civilian and military objects on the territory of Ukraine. The most effective measure to counter the Russian army's air defense systems is their timely detection and destruction by anti-aircraft fire. The insufficient number of these means makes it necessary to organize countermeasures against radio-electronic systems of their guidance. Analysis of the methods and means of targeting the enemy's high-precision weapons as objects of suppression by means of radio-electronic (electromagnetic) warfare is relevant for the protection of critical infrastructure objects of Ukraine. An analysis of the existing guidance systems of high-precision weapons of the Russian Federation, which are used to destroy ground objects on the territory of Ukraine, was carried out: the guidance system of guided (corrected) aerial bombs, where the principle of operation of the unified planning and correction module is analyzed; combined cruise and ballistic missile guidance systems Kh-101, Kh-55/555, Kh-22/32, "Kalibr", "Iskander" and "Kinzhal"; unmanned aerial vehicles "Shahed-136/131" ("Geran-2"); anti-aircraft guided missiles. An assessment of the possibility of suppressing the means of radio-electronic (electromagnetic) warfare of the specified means of air attack of the enemy by degree of vulnerability is given: with high (guided (corrected) aerial bombs, unmanned aerial vehicles "Shahed-136/131") and partial (cruise/ballistic missiles). The most likely methods of targeting the enemy's high-precision weapons and countermeasures by means of radio-electronic (electromagnetic) warfare are determined. The article emphasizes that means of radio-electronic (electromagnetic) warfare are an effective tool for countering Russian high-precision weapons. It is emphasized that the creation of dense "domes" of radio-electronic (electromagnetic) warfare for suppression and spoofing is a priority for the protection of critical infrastructure facilities and troops, especially against the massive use of guided (corrected) aerial bombs and kamikaze drones. At the same time, it is indicated that radio-electronic (electromagnetic) combat against complex cruise missiles is only an element of complex air defense.

ABSTRACT This article elaborates on the concept of the front line in the context of border studies and consider the societal peculiarities of Ukrainian frontline cities compared to other Ukrainian cities at war, employing the methodology of a phenomenological analysis and systematizing the statistical data. Using the concept of a military “borderscape”, the paper examines the structural and daily aspects of living near the front line. Specifically, it discusses how distance from the front line influences the population’s decision to migrate or remain in frontline cities during the Russian-Ukrainian War. Desktop research employing qualitative comparative analysis reveals the peculiarities of Ukrainian frontline cities’ functioning in terms of population dynamics, higher education, culture, and the economy. The research reveals that frontline cities become logistical deadlocks under the influence of the front line, experiencing economic marginalization, population fluctuation (a temporary decrease in population when the front line approaches, followed by stabilization when it retreats), and stagnation of cultural life and education (with schoolchildren and students mainly learning online).

Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic, the energy and inflation shock, and the Russian–Ukrainian war have challenged macroeconomic stability in European countries while exposing the limitations of traditional, single-indicator assessments. This study aims to analyze the evolution and structural drivers of macroeconomic stability across successive crisis regimes in European countries by applying a pentagon-based composite index that captures the joint interactions among growth, inflation, fiscal balance, labor-market conditions, and external positions. The empirical analysis is based on annual macroeconomic data for European countries over 2019–2024 and employs policy-consistent distance-to-target normalization combined with a non-additive pentagon-area aggregation method. The results indicate that macroeconomic stability was relatively high before the shocks, with an average index value of approximately 0.61 in 2019, reflecting broadly balanced macroeconomic conditions. In 2020, stability collapsed to an average of about 0.15, driven primarily by the near-universal contraction in GDP growth and the deterioration of fiscal balances. A partial recovery followed in 2021, when the average index increased to around 0.35, but persistent fiscal imbalances prevented a full return to pre-crisis stability. In 2022, macroeconomic stability deteriorated again, with the average index falling to roughly 0.21 as inflation moved far outside the tolerance corridor in more than 90%. The subsequent period was characterized by heterogeneous and incomplete adjustment. By 2024, overall stability improved to an average of approximately 0.41 following the normalization of inflation. However, countries with chronic fiscal and external imbalances continued to exhibit low levels of stability, underscoring the non-compensatory nature of macroeconomic stability.AcknowledgmentThis study was conducted within the framework of the MSCA4Ukraine project 06030419, funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the European Research Executive Agency or the MSCA4Ukraine Consortium. Neither the European Union, the European Research Executive Agency, nor the MSCA4Ukraine Consortium, nor any individual member institution of the MSCA4Ukraine Consortium can be held responsible for them. The publication of this paper was funded by EKA University of Applied Sciences (Latvia) and Daugavpils University (Latvia).

In the article, using the example of the European Union Border Assistance Mission to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), an analysis of the factors that determined the Union's decision to establish the mission, the mechanism of its functioning and the main directions of its activities during the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022-2024 was conducted. The article is of a theoretical and descriptive nature, using general scientific research methods, including analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, the historical method and the hermeneutic method. In addition, within the framework of the above-mentioned issues, scientific and journalistic research, legal acts and annual reports of the mission on its activities were subjected to a detailed analysis and assessment. This study analyzes the conditions of the European Union's decision to establish the mission. The legal basis of its functioning, structure, goals, mandate, financing, as well as the main directions of its activities during the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022-2024 were characterized. The results of the conducted research indicate that the establishment and launch of the EUBAM mission was the European Union's response to threats resulting from the conflict in Transnistria and to the request of the Ukrainian and Moldovan sides for advisory and technical support in establishing an effective border control system. In the years 2022-2024, the main directions of the mission's activities were focused, in addition to the implementation of the mandate objectives, on adapting to new challenges resulting from the Russian-Ukrainian war. In the analyzed time period, the mission was effective in implementing its advisory and technical tasks, while in implementing its political tasks it had limited possibilities. These limitations resulted, among others, from the complex political situation in Transnistria and the security situation in the region. The subject of the article is particularly important and current in the context of the war in Ukraine. The experience of the EUBAM mission can be used to solve the post-conflict situation, in the field of border management between Ukraine and its territories occupied by the Russian Federation.