Southeastern Ukraine Research Articles

Analysis of the flora the valley-terrace landscapes of the Ukrainian steppe zone

The article presents a comprehensive characterization of the flora the valley-terrace landscapes of the Ukrainian steppe zone based on the results of systematic, geographical, biological and ecomorphic analyses. It has been established that the flora of valley-terrace landscapes is represented by 1315 species of vascular plants belonging to 508 genera, 120 families, 6 classes and 5 divisions. The spectrum of the leading families of valley-terrace landscapes of the steppe zone of Ukraine basically coincides with a similar spectrum leading families of vascular plants of southeastern Ukraine, the flora of the Right Bank steppe and of the Dniester-Tiligul interfluve. The only difference is in the Cyperaceae family, which ranks fifth in the spectrum of leading families, while in the above floras this family is on the 9th–10th places. The flora is dominated by hemicryptophytes among climamorphs, perennials among biomorphs, heliophytes among heliomorphs, mesotrophs among trophomorphs, mesophytes among hygromorphs, and pratants among cenomorphs. According to the cenomorphic analysis of the flora, it was found that 30.2% (397 species) have a ruderal component (found in ruderal, semi-natural habitats). The adventitious flora is represented by 223 species of vascular plants (16.96%), including 6 invasive species. From the flora of valley-terrace landscapes of the Ukrainian steppe zone, 8 species of vascular plants are included in the World Red List (WRL), and 14 species are included in the European Red List. The Red Data Book of Ukraine in different categories: (1) – 1 species, (2) – 25 species, (3) – 9 species, (4) – 7 species. The Red List of Dnipropetrovska oblast includes 42 species of the studied flora. The analysis of species occurrence categories revealed that 88 species are very rare, 495 species are rare, 286 species are sporadic, 368 species are frequent, and 78 species are very frequent. The analysis of landscape transformation according to the hemerobia system shows that mesohemorrhizal species predominate in the flora, which indicates an average level of transformation of valley-terrace landscapes of the Ukrainian steppe zone.

The nomenclatural cases of Veronica steppacea and V. menthifolia (Plantaginaceae), with notes on the status of provisional names and type designation

A nomenclatural and taxonomic analysis is provided for the name Veronica steppacea Kotov (Plantaginaceae: Veronica subg. Pseudolysimachium) and some associated names of plants occurring mainly in the Steppe and Forest-Steppe physiographic zones of southeastern Europe, especially Ukraine. In particular, it is confirmed that the name V. steppacea was validly published in 1954. The first publication of that name in 1927 was invalid because it was published with “the mere mention of the subordinate taxa included in the taxon concerned” (Art. 36.2 of the ICN). Following the current provisions of the ICN, the specimen KW000058110 collected by Kotov in 1949 (“1948” in the protologue is a typo or error) in southeastern Ukraine (Donetsk Region, Volnovakha District, Starohnativka) is designated here as the lectotype of the name V. steppacea, one of three specimens at KW annotated by the author as “types” and belonging to one gathering. A list of main synonyms of V. steppacea (including V. borysthenica, V. cretacea, V. donetzica, V. tzvelevii, etc.) is provided. A corrected type designation is published for the name V. menthifolia H. Schott ex Roem. & Schult.: the illustration in Clusius (1601) is designated as the lectotype and the specimen from the herbarium of H. Schott (BP 348066) is designated as the epitype. Most probably V. menthifolia is conspecific with V. barrelieri (referring to an eastern Submediterranean European taxon), and thus the name V. steppacea should be used for related southeastern European plants. Several potential amendments of the ICN are briefly considered based on the nomenclatural cases discussed in the article.

Life is like a reservoir into which a scientist who is completely devoted to his work plunges

The article is devoted to the description of the pages of the life and scientific activity of the outstanding Ukrainian scientist N. I. Zagubizhenko, who made a great contribution to the formation of the theoretical base on the enrichment of natural and artificial water bodies with fodder resources in the conditions of the Steppe zone of Ukraine. Being a student of the doctor of biological sciences, professor P. O. Zhuravel [1,2], who believed that the enrichment of the benthic fauna of the Steppe zone of Ukraine can be carried out by introducing animal organisms that are absent in these reservoirs, which are characterized by wide plasticity and high vitality [9,12,15], Nadezhda Ivanovna Zagubizhenko was engaged in the study of the reconstruction of the benthic fauna of the reservoirs of southeastern Ukraine. In connection with the instability of the fodder base of water bodies in the Steppe zone of Ukraine, the question of the introduction of representatives of the estuarine fauna, their habituation and inclusion in the food rations of a number of commercial fish was and remains relevant in the current period of time. According to the nature of nutrition, most acclimatizers are biofilters [9], for which there is a sufficient amount of food in the form of detritus, the remains of higher aquatic vegetation, in most reservoirs of the Steppe zone of Ukraine. The conduct and substantiation of these research works were of a positive nature and have a significant contribution to the scientific base, theory, and practice of enriching water bodies with fodder resources and preserving the environment. The quality of water at all times has been and is one of the main indicators of the standard of living, therefore, all developed societies make every effort to provide the population and economy with a sufficient amount of water of a quality that is adequate to the requirements of the consumer. Most of the water comes from natural sources – rivers, lakes, reservoirs, the water quality of which must not only be assessed, but also predicted. Two main components are responsible for the quality of water in nature – the catchment basin and the ecological system of the water body [6, p. 36]. Each of them is located in certain conditions of geography and climate, characteristic of the region under study, in our research – the Steppe zone of Ukraine.

Особливості функціювання української мови в Україні на початку ХХІ ст.

The article is based on the starting point that state language is one of the main factors that ensure normal existence and functioning of any country. Therefore, adequate awareness of the various types of threats that impede the full functioning of Ukrainian is of particular relevance. Among such threats, various interferences pose a particular danger. The article contains a comparative analysis of such interferences and some negative consequences that they cause. The specificity of linguistic situation in Ukraine consists in the simultaneous coexistence of Ukrainian, Russian and other different minority languages. The minority languages have a local influence, limited by the area of their distribution. Meanwhile, Ukrainian-Russian bilingualism is widespread throughout Ukraine. The dominant position in this interaction used to belong to Russian. This factor leads to numerous types of deviations in the Ukrainian speech. One of the major types of such deviations is the so-called Ukrainian-Russian surzhyk, which especially spread throughout the eastern and southeastern Ukraine where the increased influence of Russian continued for almost 350 years. Meanwhile, the western part of Ukraine was under the influence of Russian for no more than 50 years. Such a short period could not have negatively affected the state of the Ukrainian language, which remains the first language for the vast majority of the population in this area. In recent years, significant changes in the vocabulary of Ukrainian appeared as a result of total globalization which led to the emergence of numerous borrowings from English. A significant part of the latter are designations of the special terms and new realities that were previously absent in everyday life. Meanwhile, there are a lot of cases when speakers prefer to use the anglicized hybrid forms instead of their adequate Ukrainian equivalents. Such phenomena cannot be assessed positively and require prescriptive measures to be taken by authorized and competent educational and government bodies.

DESTRUCTION OF UKRAINIAN CITIES DURING THE RUSSIAN AGGRESSION (SOCIO-GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS BASED ON MARIUPOL)

The objective of this study is to examine and summarize the features and consequences of the devastation of cities in southeastern Ukraine by the Russian invaders during the initial phase of a large-scale war. It has been determined that the occupier’s adoption of the scorched earth tactic resulted in the complete destruction of numerous settlements, including dozens of cities within the country. It led to a severe disruption of the state’s territorial planning structure. Mariupol, a prominent socio-economic center of the nation, endured extensive devastation and significant civilian casualties. The article examines the distinctive characteristics of the town’s economic progress, the development of its society, the identity of its population, and its social roles. Special emphasis is given to the establishment of the city’s planning framework in response to economic and environmental factors. The planning structure significantly influenced the enemy’s advance, the positioning of the city’s defenders’ strongholds, and the areas that were destroyed. The authors aim to analyze the socio-economic and demographic situation in the city under occupation, based on the media screening. The city has experienced significant civilian casualties, and both its economic framework and infrastructure have been entirely demolished. The occupiers’ statements regarding the reconstruction of Mariupol can be characterized as propagandistic and primarily consisting of declarations. The governing authorities are actively implementing measures to alter the ethnic composition of the population and its cultural identity. The authors define the large-scale destruction of Mariupol and the extermination of its population as the initial phase of a more intricate process of comprehensive urban transformation, referred to as urban transmutation. The key component of it involves an extensive redesign of the city’s urban foundation, planning, and functional framework, as well as the city’s population with its demographic traits, educational attainment, and cultural identity. The post-war reconstruction of Mariupol should incorporate a reevaluation of its role, as the complete reconstruction of ferrous metallurgy in Mariupol during this process presents major challenges. The city’s reconstruction should prioritize the adoption of cutting-edge technological systems centered around digitalization, green technologies, circular production, and other similar advancements.

Studying Polish in the Higher Education Institutions of the Donetsk Region of South-Eastern Ukraine: History, Current State, Problems, and Prospects

The functioning of the Polish language in higher education institutions in the Donetsk region of South–Eastern Ukraine is the main focus of our research. The history of the study of Polish in the region is analysed, in particular at the Donbas State Pedagogical University, where Polish has been taught since 2020. The main problems facing the development of Polish language study in the region and higher education institutions are examined, and the prospects for promoting the development of Polish language study are outlined.

Видовий склад і чисельність хом’якових у степових заповідниках південного сходу України

The article presents information about the family Cricetidae in the steppe reserves located in south-eastern Ukraine within Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, including data on the species composition and the population sizes. The study also sheds light on the limitations of individual species in their biotopes and identifies differences in rodent population density between areas subject to different economic regimes. The author suggests that periodic mowing and grazing may have a negative impact on the population sizes. It was established that cricetids make up the majority of all rodents in the diet of the short-eared owl.

Study of carotenoids and chlorophylls content in Thymus L. essential oils genus species at the reproductive period

The genus Thymus (Thymus L., Lamiaceae L.) is polymorphic, containing various races and forms with minor morphological differences. Up to 200 species have been identified in the world, of which up to 50 are found in Ukraine.
 Widespread wild essential oil species of the genus Thymus L. in Ukraine are: creeping thyme, Crimean thyme, Dnieper thyme, Marshall's thyme, flea thyme, Pallas's thyme. Successfully cultivated: common thyme, Spanish white thin thyme, Spanish white flowering thyme, creeping thyme, lemon thyme.
 Thyme is known for its rich chemical composition. Carotenoids and chlorophylls contribute to the accumulation of essential oil, polyphenolic compounds, antioxidant, detoxification and radioprotective effects.
 For the standardization of raw materials of Thymus L. species, it is advisable to determine the accumulation of carotenoids and chlorophylls during the reproductive period.
 The purpose of the work is to identify and determine the quantitative content of carotenoids and chlorophylls during the reproductive period in the herb species of the genus Thymus L. of the flora of Ukraine.
 Raw materials were collected in steppe biocenoses and specialized farms of southeastern Ukraine during the reproductive period (May–September 2018–2023) according to generally accepted methods. They were dried at 35 ºС to a moisture content of no more than 10%. n-Hexane extracts (1:100) were used to identify substances and establish their quantitative content. The determination was made by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) followed by densitometry and spectrophotometry.
 By the methods of thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometry in n-hexane extracts from grass species of the genus Thymus L. of flora of Ukraine 4 carotenoids and 2 chlorophylls were identified. Cultivated species had the highest content: Th. vulgaris L. and Th. x citriodorus (Pers.) Schreb. var. «Silver Queen».
 The accumulation of carotenoids and chlorophylls in the raw materials of the genus Thymus L. during the reproductive period was studied. The results indicate the expediency of standardization of the studied raw materials according to the accumulation of carotenoids and chlorophylls.

Vector-borne parasites in dogs from Ukraine translocated to Poland following Russian invasion in 2022

IntroductionSince 24 February 2022, the day the Russian aggression against Ukraine began, millions of refugees and thousands of pets crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border. Additionally, an unknown number of shelter and stray dogs and cats were rescued and translocated to Poland by private persons and non-profit organizations. The aim of the present study was to examine rescued dogs and cats for presence of canine vector-borne parasites to determine the role of armed conflict in spreading these parasites.MethodsIn July 2022 blood samples were collected from two animal shelters in central Poland hosting dogs and cats rescued from Ukraine. Animals were imported from various regions of Ukraine, including eastern and southeastern Ukraine (military conflict area). Fifty-three dogs (51 from two shelters and two owned ones) and one shelter cat were examined by molecular methods (PCR and sequencing) for the presence of Babesia/Theileria spp., Dirofilaria spp. and Hepatozoon spp. DNA.ResultsWe detected Dirofilaria immitis, a parasite species non-endemic in Poland, in two dogs translocated from Ukraine (2/53 = 3.8% [95% CI 0.5–13.0%]). One dog had a history of previous heartworm infection. High prevalence of Hepatozoon canis (51% [95% CI 36.8–64.9%]) was noted among translocated dogs. Prevalence of Dirofilaria repens in Ukrainian dogs (18.9% [95% CI 9.4–32.0%) was similar to prevalence in dogs from central Poland (12%). Co-infection of D. repens and D. immitis was found in two dogs and six dogs were co-infected by D. repens and H. canis. Hepatozoon canis infection was also identified in an imported cat.ConclusionWe confirmed that this military conflict has facilitated the spread of canine vector-borne parasites, including zoonotic species.Graphical

Russian-Ukrainian war impacts on the environment. Evidence from the field on soil properties and remote sensing

The Russian-Ukrainian war is having a dramatic impact on the environment. The effects are still unknown. However, it is expected that the effects will be substantial. Since the conflict is ongoing, it is challenging to have ground-accurate data that could show an idea of the extension of the impact. Remote sensing can support a preliminary analysis in areas without safety to conduct fieldwork. This work aims to assess the impacts of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the environment using field and remote sensing sources. This is the first work that published fieldwork data from this conflict. Different soil properties were studied (e.g., texture and heavy metals) in different places (Novy Korotych and Mala Rohan). Remote sensing (e.g., Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) at different spatial scales (Eastern Ukraine and case study in the Kharkiv region) were assessed between 2021 and 2022. The results showed that the finer sediments increased in bombed areas compared with not bombed ones. Also, there was an increase in the content of heavy metals (e.g., Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Copper, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead and Nickel) in soils in the shelled areas, compared to the non-shelled. This was mainly observed in the Novy Korotych site. Remote sensing analysis revealed that between 2021 and 2022 at a large scale (Eastern and southeastern Ukraine), vegetation greenness decreased in the areas where the combats are more intense (Luhansk and Donetsk) and increased in the southern area (Zaporizhia and Kherson), likely due to agriculture abandonment. On a small scale (case study in Kharkiv region), the vegetation greenness was affected due to the bombing. Although our results are preliminary, it is important to highlight that shelling is increasing soil pollution and contributing to vegetation greenness reduction where the fighting is intense. The actual impacts of the war still need to be understood entirely.

Quantitative analysis of abandonment and grain production loss under armed conflict in Ukraine

The armed conflict in Ukraine has been ongoing, with firefights concentrated in Kherson, Zaporizhia, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv oblasts of eastern Ukraine. Armed conflicts have caused damage to valuable black land and agricultural infrastructure, resulting in reduced food production and greatly affecting the world food supply. Therefore, it is urgent and important to quantify the extent of the impact of armed conflicts on cropland. We applied the Sentinel dataset based on the GEE platform and used the time-weighted dynamic time warping (TWDTW) method to map abandonment in six eastern oblasts and propose a cumulative NDVI (cumNDVI) method to characterize food production loss. The accuracy of the 2022 cropland abandonment in Krain was excellent. The overall accuracy was 92.5%, with a kappa coefficient of 0.85. The area of abandoned cropland in southeastern Ukraine was 11,892.49 km2, which was 7.17% of the cropland. The most abandoned cropland in Kherson was 26,692.22 km2, with 3,661.12 km2 of abandoned and a 13.72% abandonment rate. Because of abandonment, the loss of grain production in the six oblasts was from 3.67% to 15.18% respectively. And the other loss of grain production of cultivated cropland was found to be 33.02%, with a general loss characteristic in all regions except Donetsk slightly increased. In 2022, the grain production loss was a totally 8.19 million tons. That means the grain production loss of the six eastern oblasts in 2022 was up to 31.5% compared to the average yield level in 2016–2020 and accounted for 6.76% compared to the national grain production. The study not only mapped the distribution of abandonment with high precision at a 10 m resolution in 2022 but also quantified the food production loss due to armed conflict. It reveals the severity of the food crisis and proposes measures for post-war replanting and restoration of agricultural economic activities.

The economics of military innovation under anarchy: The case of the Ukrainian Civil War of 1917–1921

This paper argues that anarchic societies can successfully engage in military innovation. To do so, it explores the novel case of the Ukrainian civil war of 1917–21 and the anarchist movement of Nestor Makhno. The anarchists’ primary military innovation was the tachanka, a sprung-wheel cart that was pulled by four horses and featured a machine gun platform, which allowed for firing on the go. Tachanka formed the core of Makhno's army and enabled it to achieve a multitude of crushing victories against numerically superior state armies. Makhno's forces were able to successfully innovate for three reasons. First, the anarchists were incentivized to substitute innovative capital combinations for labor because of their small numbers and large territory to defend. Second, the anarchists used their local knowledge and spread their influence in southeastern Ukraine, the only region with an abundance of a specific asset needed for tachanka-centered innovation: the sprung-wheel cart. Third, the cooperation of Ukrainian peasants secured through social closeness and norms allowed the anarchists to create an innovative system of horse-changing stations, through which tachankas retained top mobility. My analysis adds to the literature on military innovation and innovation without the state, and it has implications for modern times, particularly amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as it shows that even with the potential for state collapse, military innovation can continue.

Geopolitical Imagination: Ideology and Utopia in Post-Soviet Russia by Mikhail Suslov

Reviewed by: Geopolitical Imagination: Ideology and Utopia in Post-Soviet Russia by Mikhail Suslov David Lewis Geopolitical Imagination: Ideology and Utopia in Post-Soviet Russia. By Mikhail Suslov. (Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society, 215) Stuttgart: ibidem. 2020. 304 pp. $40. ISBN 978–3–8382–1361–3. Post-Soviet Russia has often been viewed as a post-ideological political system, governed by personal economic interests on one level and ruthless Realpolitik on another. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was a sharp reminder that ideas and beliefs also matter in Russian foreign policy. They contribute to what Mikhail Suslov calls the 'geopolitical imagination', a mental map of the world shared by many Russian elites which shapes foreign policy in important ways. Suslov's excellent monograph helps to unpack these ideas, explaining how they came to be so influential in modern Russia. While some chapters have been previously published elsewhere, Suslov has woven his different topics into a compelling book-length narrative which will become an essential volume for understanding contemporary Russian political thought. Suslov uses Kotkin's notion of Russia's 'perpetual geopolitics' (see Stephen Kotkin, 'Russia's Perpetual Geopolitics: Putin Returns to the Historical Pattern', Foreign Affairs, 95.3 (May–June 2016), 2–9), but turns this on its head. Instead of viewing geographic factors as immutable drivers of Russian behaviour, Suslov considers how geography was reimagined in contemporary Russia to address crises of identity and status through the articulation of spatial and geopolitical imaginaries. The geopolitical imagination 'not only explains the past and legitimizes the present, but gives valuable hints for political forecasting' (p. 22). It is both an attempt to overcome the trauma of the collapse of empire and a political project that offers a future utopia expressed in spatial terms. This geopolitical imagination is often strangely lax about actual geography. Russian geopolitical thinkers have switched easily between different spatial projects with very different geographies. Chapter 5, for instance, examines the Russian Orthodox Church's spatial concept of 'Holy Rus'. Its advocates claim this as a metaphysical transnational space, resistant to the 'spiritual' colonialism of the West. In reality, however, it has morphed into a geopolitical project that perpetuates Russian colonial attitudes and practices towards its neighbours. Suslov next analyses Eurasian continentalism, a spatial concept with multiple meanings and interpretations but which nevertheless 'tends towards conservative, palingenetic moral exceptionalism' (p. 226). Suslov concludes with a detailed analysis of 'Novorossiya', a geopolitical fantasy project briefly entertained in 2014 before it was rapidly dropped by the Kremlin. Yet eight years later, although the terminology changed, the same territorial aspirations re-emerged in Russia's 2022 attempt to conquer and annex regions of south-eastern Ukraine. The case of Novorossiya offers the clearest tension between the Russian state's geopolitical visions and those of a medley of other actors, including nationalist polemicists, academics, and politicians. At times, the Russian state has actively promoted particular geopolitical projects, but geopolitical imagination is not simply the outcome of top-down propaganda. The strength of Suslov's work is that it transcends the thinking of Vladimir Putin or his close officials to explore how geopolitical [End Page 282] concepts circulate in wider culture and society, from university textbooks to popular novels. Thus, in Chapter 4 Suslov looks at the genre of 'Russian Imperial Science Fiction', a kind of neo-imperialist pulp fiction that contrasts sharply with the Soviet expression of the genre, which was intellectually curious and often of high literary quality. Here too the boundaries between state and literature are blurred. One of the key publishing initiatives is run by a State Duma deputy; another, promoting so-called 'liber-punk' (books with titles such as Liberal Apocalypse which criticize liberal values), is funded by the pro-government 'Interaction of Civilisations' think-tank (p. 146). Suslov also explores the literary franchise Eurasian Symphony (2000–05), a seven-book series co-authored by Igor Alimov and Viacheslav Rybakov (writing under the pseudonym Holm van Zaichik). Their stories describe life in the Eurasian conglomerate 'Ordus', a utopian superpower which traces its history to a thirteenth-century amalgamation of the Golden Horde and ancient Rus. Unlike, say, Vladimir Sorokin's dystopian...

Geographical and Mental Boundaries of Ukrainian Identity

The purpose of the research is to establish correspondence between the geographical and mental boundaries of the Ukrainian ethno-political identity. A theoretical and comparative analysis and generalization of historical, geographical, political and sociological theses and data have been applied. The research determines the external boundaries (between Ukraine and the surrounding countries) and internal ones (between the regions of Ukraine). It demonstrates the exceptional importance of the Ukrainian identity opposition to the Russian mental influences. Ukraine is divided into three main regions. Central Ukraine is a mental basis for the Ukrainian identity and political nation. Western Ukraine is notable for the highest level of national consciousness and Ukrainian patriotism. South-Eastern Ukraine is characterized by stronger competition of the Ukrainian and Russian values, but simultaneously by dominating Ukrainian identity.

Investment and Innovation Activity of Renewable Energy Sources in the Electric Power Industry in the South-Eastern Region of Ukraine

Nowadays, the Ukrainian electricity industry is experiencing difficult conditions, as it is operating in a mode of depletion of its production potential. At the same time, the transition to sustainable and renewable energy is the necessary basis for the country’s welfare and for ensuring its energy security. Therefore, today we cannot do without the additional attraction of sources of funding from investors. The purpose of the survey is to study the pattern and effectiveness of investments and identify links and dependencies between key technical and economic parameters and investments in renewable energy sources. To achieve this goal, the authors divided the study into four successive stages, which made it possible to study the subject of the study comprehensively. As a result of the study, results have been obtained that complement the existing theoretical, methodological, and practical developments. Mathematical calculations (using the example of the largest wind power plants in the south-eastern region) revealed transparent relationships and dependencies between the critical technical and economic parameters of the WPP of South-Eastern Ukraine and investments in the wind energy sector. Among them: the installation of 1 MW of additional WPP generating capacity requires an average of EUR 1.51 million of investment resources, and the production of one additional kWh of electricity requires an investment EUR 0.42 euros; therefore, providing an additional thousand households with WPP electricity is possible with an investment of EUR 1.345 million.

Динаміка гетерогенності агрофізичної якості чорнозему звичайного у межах сільськогосподарського поля

The article presents data on monitoring the physical characteristics of the soil in a field under corn (after sunflower) in a grain-row crop rotation with minimal tillage technology. Soil – Calcic Chernozem, light-medium clayey, weakly xeromorphic on loess in the Donetsk region in the Steppe climate zone of southeastern Ukraine. The research carried out in a stationary field experiment to study the effectiveness of abandoning plowing under the soil and climatic conditions of the region. During the growing season of corn for grain, the physical characteristics of the soil were monitored – bulk density, penetration resistance, and moisture content; before sowing the crop, the structural condition was determined. Measurements carried out in three locations – zones of the field, which differ on the intensity of compaction by agricultural machinery. All physical characteristics were investigated in separate layers (0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm) within the arable layer; reserves of productive moisture — in the entire soil profile. Meteorological data were obtained by own observations at a weather station in the nearby village of Sukha Balka. According to the results of the correlation and dispersion analysis of ANOVA, the presence and nature of the relationship between stability characteristics, rheological features and the water regime of the soil with its structural composition within the arable layer recorded before sowing revealed. Uneven distribution within the field of intensity of mechanical pressure on the soil forms differences in the structural composition and physical characteristics of the soil. For example, according to the state of moisture in a layer of 0-10 cm, the soil in different parts of the field is in a state of overwetting, overdried or optimal. The bulk density of the upper soil layer is related not only to its own structural characteristics, but also to the composition of aggregates in the layer located below. High penetration resistance, high aggregate content of 5-3 mm and low aggregate content of 2-1 mm in the upper layers can cause deep soil deformation under machine pressure. The dynamicity of the bulk density of the upper soil layer, its low content of aggregates of 5–3 mm and high content of 2–1 mm provides protection against compaction of the soil layers located below.

Yekaterinoslav Theological Seminary’s Role in the Development of Music Education in Southeastern Ukraine in the Late Nineteenth to Early Twentieth Centuries

This article is devoted to studying the musical and educational activities of the Yekaterinoslav Theological Seminary in the context of Russian spiritual education in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Seminary’s role in regional culture is considered in detail, with a specific focus on the development of music education and musical art. The extent of dissemination of musical knowledge by the Yekaterinoslav Theological Seminary is discussed. The role of Seminary musical education in preserving the traditions of church singing art is also studied. The connection between Seminary musical education and musical life is traced, as well as the emergence of secular musical art elements in the performance of sacred music in the concert repertoire of the Seminary choir, orchestra, and instrumental ensembles. Finally, the three most important functions of the Theological Seminary’s musical and educational activities are formulated. This research is a contribution to the study of the process that supported Ukraine music education formation as a part of Europe.

Strong Decline in Breeding-Bird Community Abundance Throughout Habitats in the Azov Region (Southeastern Ukraine) Linked to Land-Use Intensification and Climate

In recent decades, bird communities associated with agricultural systems have declined in Western and Central Europe and in North America, but how widely these dynamics extend to other regions is poorly known. In this study, we assessed the dynamics and the main drivers of the changes in the abundance, richness, and composition of breeding bird communities over a 30-year period in the various types of habitats of southeastern Ukraine (Azov region), a region that has undergone agricultural intensification for several decades. This study was conducted in the valley of the Molochna River during the 1988 to 2018 nesting seasons. The area studied hosted 81 bird species. Species richness varied from three species in salt marshes to thirty-three in reed beds but did not show a general trend over time. However, we identified a decline in bird communities’ total abundance over time in all habitats except shelterbelts and meadows. Similarly, species composition changed over time, reflecting the way in which species varied in their abundance changes. Climatic variables contributed to bird community turnover, but with decreasing importance over time. Overall, our results indicate that the recent declines in bird populations in farmland regions also extend to eastern Europe, with land-use effects interacting with climate to shape temporal dynamics of bird communities.

The Degrowth Institute. Plan maestro para el decrecimiento en ciudades posindustriales en declive en Dombás

The Degrowth Institute (TDI) is an ongoing project by METASITU that considers degrowth as a strategy for master planning. Their ideas are specific to so-called shrinking cities, particularly post-Soviet ones. Here, they discuss their work in the Donbas region in southeastern Ukraine. The TDI aims to recalibrate metrics of success associated with economic and population growth. Their project includes developing The Degrowth Manual through workshops with local members that critically give input to these alternative forms of growth and argue for cognitive emancipation from the growth paradigm.

Differences in Time Perspectives Measured under the Dramatically Changing Socioeconomic Conditions during the Ukrainian Political Crises in 2014/2015.

The characteristics of the individual’s time perspective in relation to changes in social, economic, and political conditions are of major conceptual interest. We assessed the time orientations of 1588 Ukrainian students living in two different regions (western and south-eastern Ukraine) with the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) before (2010–2013) and during (2014–2016) the socioeconomic, political, and military crises which started in 2014, eight years before the war in 2022. We applied ANOVAs with the ZTPI dimensions as dependent variables and the period of testing (precrisis, postcrisis) as an independent variable for the two Ukrainian regions separately. The time perspectives of residents in the region most distant from the war zone (western), who positively assessed the change in the political situation around 2014, increased in the future time orientation and decreased in the present-fatalistic, past-positive, and 333 present-hedonistic time orientations. The time perspectives of residents in the regions closest to the war zone (southeastern) decreased in the future and increased in the past-negative and present-fatalistic time orientations, reflecting their negative judgments of the events. It is not the crisis itself, but the specific social, economic, and political factors and evaluations which define the time perspectives, which are flexible and adjust to changes during extreme life circumstances.