Ukrainian Army Research Articles

Tactical Decision Games as a Tool for Teaching Decision-Making under Conditions of Uncertainty

This article presents a phenomenon observed during the armed conflict in Ukraine, consisting in the use of atypical military operations, primarily by soldiers of the Ukrainian army, which significantly differ from the principles of classical warfare. Consequently, new content and methods of training candidates for officers of the Polish Army were proposed, which should improve the level of creative thinking in the process of combat decision-making under conditions of uncertainty and stress on the battlefield. The focus was on analysing the possibility of using the experience gained during combat operations by the Ukrainian Army in the process of training Polish Army commanders at the tactical level. Difficulties arising from attempting to implement such tools in the training system for soldiers are also presented. The final part of the article describes tactical decision games, which constitute an example of a tool used to support the training process for commanders (including cadets – candidates for commanders). The explained approach opens new perspectives for the development of command skills in the Polish Army. The text is based on publications and scientific reports, as well as on the combat experience of commanders who took direct part in the armed conflict in Ukraine. The author’s interest in the issue of conducting atypical military operations stems from two reasons – diagnostic and pragmatic. It is a desire to examine what phenomena, characteristic of unconventional warfare, affect the ability of commanders to develop effective responses, as well as to indicate directions for improving the training processes for Polish Army soldiers with respect to effective preparation of commanders for a potential armed conflict of a new type.

Місце виховного простору в освітньо-виховному процесі закладів військової освіти

The continuous process of humanization of humanity is becoming even more urgent today. And therefore, the problem of military training of the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine receives new approaches. The processes of introducing humanism and people-centeredness in the Armed Forces should be carried out using new approaches, including the work of teachers of military education institutions with the aim of achieving high educational standards for the Ukrainian army, which the armies of developed countries also strive to achieve. Accordingly, the task of forming an educational space that will provide the necessary conditions for the professional and versatile education of military personnel, guaranteeing them the comprehensive development of traits, abilities and skills related to the behavioral, speech and communicative culture of the progressive part of humanity has become especially urgent. With the help of the author's approach to the search, we will try to find new means, methods and forms of education, which would help to even more fully endow the Ukrainian serviceman with progressive qualities and traits. Undoubtedly, a modern soldier must be a standard for the state and society he serves, which he swore to protect and on whose behalf he defends the peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state. The topicality of the topic of the article lies in the need to find new approaches to the education of military personnel who would possess traits at the level of the armies of NATO member countries. The purpose of the article is to highlight the latest effective forms, methods and means of conducting the educational process in military education institutions. The author's approaches will be useful and possible for use by teachers of military education institutions and officers. The study will help to understand what should be the favorable conditions for the comprehensive moral-spiritual and cultural-ethical development of a warrior. We covered in detail the innovative concept of "educational space", which aims to constantly develop new methods and approaches of teachers and commanders for effective formation of noble qualities in soldiers. It was proposed to introduce new forms and methods of the educational process.

Modern Cognitive and Informational Warfare: the Role of Consciousness Manipulation of Ukrainians in Personality Transformation

The purpose of the article is to study the psychological and neuro-psycho­logical nature and strategies of cognitive and information warfare in the Ukrai­nian context in 2024, as well as the formation of a theoretical basis for individu­al, personal changes, transformations of personality, as a negative consequence of destructive influence of the methods of propaganda, misinformation and methods of manipulation on the individual’s self-consciousness, brain, cognitive functions, emotional and volitional sphere of a personality during extreme and risky combat operations. Methods of the research. The theoretical and methodological base of the research consists of a set of theoretical and empirical methods: theoretical-methodological analysis, generalization, systematization, surveys, interviews, test methods, project method, Rorschach projective technique, genetic-creative approach (S.D. Maksymenko) and principles of its construction: development; experiencing freedom; technologies, methods of disinformation and propa­ganda; self-regulation of behavior; interactions; uncertainty and indeterminism; therapeutic action through the prism of digital technologies; basic philosophical, psychological, sociological principles of understanding the problem of cognitive and information warfare. The results of the research. For Ukraine, countermeasures against cogni­tive and informational warfare are of crucial importance for ensuring national security and protecting democratic values. Effective countermeasures require cooperation between government structures, civil society and international partners. Conclusions. The cognitive-informational war (CIW) in 2023-2024 is an important aspect of the modern world order, especially in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. This is a complex mechanism of manipulating the con­sciousness of Ukrainians, which uses various methods and tools to achieve its invasive goals, leading to the transformation of cognitive and behavioral trans­formations of a personality. It has been established that the influence of the cognitive and informational warfare on Ukrainian society is manifested through the division and polariza­tion, undermining trust in the authorities, destabilizing the political situation, and reducing the fighting spirit of the Ukrainian army. However, according to the mentioned plan, there are measures that can reduce the negative impact of CIW, such as the development of critical thinking and media literacy, detection and countering of disinformation, protection of cyber security and support of freedom of speech and pluralism of opinion. The future prospects of the development of cognitive and informational warfare will be reflected in the constant growth of technologies and changes in the strategies of conducting information warfare. Therefore, it is important to constantly update and adapt countermeasures to new challenges. It has been found in order to counteract effectively against CIW, it is necessary to combine technological and psychological approaches, develop critical thinking and media literacy of population, and create effective mechanisms to counter disinforma­tion and manipulation.

Geopolitical strategies in the Russian-Ukrainian war (2022 – first half of 2024)

The Russian factor poses a real threat to the national security not only of Ukraine, but also to the entire democratic West and the entire free world. However, none of these countries and international organisations has an effective strategy to neutralise it. In 2014, the Russian Federation (RF) launched a “hybrid war” against Ukraine, annexing Crimea and part of the Donbas. The Russian Federation was not punished for its aggression, which prompted it to launch a large-scale war against Ukraine in February 2024. The heroic resistance of the people of Ukraine, the professionalism of the Ukrainian army, and the help of the West made it possible to inflict heavy defeats on Russia in 2022. However, by rethinking strategic miscalculations and the reasons for the defeats of 2022-2023, the Russian Federation has put its economy on a military track and mobilised all its resources to wage war...

Features of Germany’s Participation in Training of Afghan, Malian and Ukrainian Armies

Features of Germany’s Participation in Training of Afghan, Malian and Ukrainian Armies

Attitude of human rights defenders to the phenomenon of feminization of the army

The feminization of the army is part of the objective process of feminization of society. The military realities of Ukrainian society point to the need to involve women in military service as full-fledged subjects of military activity. However, there are many obstacles and prejudices on the way to achieving gender equality and combating discrimination in the army. Therefore, the article presents the results of considering this issue from the perspective of representatives of women’s human rights organizations. Empirically, the study is based on a series of semi-structured depth interviews, which made it possible to assess the prospects and challenges on the way to feminization of the Ukrainian army from the perspective of actors.The results of the study have shown that the increase in the number and importance of the role of women in the army takes place in a context shaped by the activities of government agencies, international organizations, the public sector, business, media and socio-political events. Representatives of women’s human rights organizations note that the state should play a key role in implementing gender policies, but currently, its involvement is insufficient or, in some aspects, absent altogether. The participants of the study also highly appreciate the role of civil society organizations in combating gender inequality; as such, organizations study the experience of women in the army, promote their contribution to military affairs, conduct educational activities, promote legislative changes, engage in advocacy and even provide material support.Ukraine’s army is gradually feminizing and the situation of women in the military is improving: the number of women in the army, including in combat and leadership positions, the existence of public discourse on women in the army, the absence of restrictions for women in the army at the legislative level, and the consideration of the needs of women in the military, as exemplified by the adoption of anatomical uniforms and the development of special protection for women. However, there are also many challenges that prevent women from joining the army or complicate their service: the condemnation of women soldiers and veterans by certain members of society, sexism in various forms, paternalism, violence and discrimination in the army itself, the lack of effective mechanisms to counteract them, and the conservatism of the military leadership, which is reluctant to make changes.

Mantas Kvedaravičius’s Mariupolis (2016) and Šarūnas Bartas’s Frost (2017): Soft Advocacy for the Ukrainians in the Russo-Ukrainian War

This article examines the visual testimonies and evidence of the Russo-Ukrainian War in its initial phase, shortly after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, in the films of two Lithuanian filmmakers, Šarūnas Bartas and Mantas Kvedaravičius, who took the stance of advocates and made their internationally acclaimed films, namely the mixed-genre feature Frost (2017, dir. Š. Bartas) and the documentary Mariupolis (2016, dir. M. Kvedaravičius), in war zones, when international media coverage of the ongoing military operations on Ukrainian territory was gradually decreasing, along with political and other support. In these films, viewers do not see the apparent warfare, the clashes between the Ukrainian army and Russian troops or separatist fighters. But they do see the testimonies of Ukrainians, captured on film and mobile phone cameras, and they see images of despair and anxiety, destroyed settlements and lives that prove that the war has been going on since 2014. The article explores what makes these films an instrument of soft advocacy for the Ukrainians in the war, drawing on the prevailing concepts of advocacy in film and media studies.

Участие Великобритании в военных действиях на Украине в 2022 году

The article analyzes the role and place of Great Britain in the preparation of the military conflict in Ukraine, as well as the formation of the terroristconcept of warfare led by the Ukrainian army and special services. Both direct and indirect participation of British military structures in combat actions against the Russian armed forces in 2022 is examined. The article outlines the supplies of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine by the UK, the forms and directions of training of the Ukrainian “proxy army” by British military instructors. Finally, the use of theconflict by London for conducting technical intelligence concerning new Russian weapons is shown.

Military Situation Awareness: Ukrainian Experience

Situational awareness (SA) has become one of the key concepts in military sector. The Russian-Ukrainian war led to the development of information technology in Ukraine to manage troops and combat situations. The army was supported by numerous volun- teer initiatives involving IT professionals. As a result, Ukrainian army has received modern software solutions based on the principles of SA for use in real combat conditions. The purpose of the study is to analyse the development of military and civilian SA information sys- tems during the war between Russia and Ukraine. In the course of the study, the methods of system analysis of the problem of SA were used. The research classifies information solutions, assesses the dis- tribution of products by different classification sectors, and conducts a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of the developed products. Using the example of the most common solutions, the main features of existing software products and the technologies on which they operate were identified. Prospects for the development of solutions, their contribution to military manage- ment, and problematic issues are identified.

‘Russian warship, go f— yourself!’ Human Factors in the Russia-Ukraine War and Ukraine Defying Expectations, February-December 2022

ABSTRACT Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, most analysts believed that Russian forces would rapidly overwhelm Ukraine’s defenses. Many policymakers were preparing for the consequences of Russia’s occupation of Ukraine rather than considering how best they could assist the latter in its moment of need. These analyses, however, focused almost exclusively on the militarily quantifiable assets and their disparity between Russia and Ukraine. In these areas, Russia possessed a decisive advantage. It should also be noted that these factors are important, and analysts should not preclude them in their analyses of the combat capabilities of armies. What these pundits and policymakers missed in their analyses, however, was the role of human factors in combat. While the Russian material elements were superior to those of Ukraine at the start of the hostilities, the human factors of the Ukrainian army and people were significantly higher than those of the Russian armed forces. This disparity between the two countries not only helped Ukraine overcome Russia’s initial efforts to defeat the country but also allowed the Ukrainian forces to launch an effective counteroffensive later that year. Factors in combat and combat effectiveness, however, are not static. Thus, while Ukraine maintained a superiority in the human dimension for much of the period in question, Russia’s narrowing of this gap and ongoing material superiority meant that the Ukrainian army was not able to translate this advantage into a decisive victory in 2022. As the war becomes increasingly one of attrition, however, human factors will play a decisive role in the conflict well into the future.

ECONOMIC-INSTITUTIONAL PROBLEMS OF EUROPEAN REMILITARIZATION

This article is dedicated to the examination of the economic-institutional problems and prerequisites for the reconstruction of the European military-industrial complex. During the consideration of this issue, the following tasks were set and addressed: – to find out the economic factors determining the ability of European economies to provide the Ukrainian army with a sufficient amount of weapons and ammunition; – to identify barriers to capital involvement in the military-industrial complex; – to study the institutional prerequisites for changing motivations for investing in the military-industrial complex. On one hand, the remilitarization of Europe appears inevitable due to the formation of an anti-Western axis of evil, consisting of Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran. On the other hand, remilitarization for formerly pacifist Europeans is not an easy matter. We believe that the problem of remilitarization has at least three aspects: price, investment, and civilization. If we were to depict the problem of European remilitarization as an iceberg, the price aspect would be the most superficial, obvious part of the problem, while the civilization aspect would be its foundation. Price aspect: This has manifested, in particular, in the rapid increase in procurement prices for weapons. The anomaly is that even with a fourfold increase in prices, which apparently promises manufacturers profits in the hundreds (!) of percent, demand saturation through increased supply does not occur. Investment aspect: It is evident in the relatively insufficient investment activity in the European military-industrial complex compared to what it should be. The issue lies in the unacceptably high risks of possible investment projects in the defense sector, namely, the risk of a decrease in demand for manufactured goods. Considering the normal profitability of production assets in developed countries, successful remilitarization could involve guarantees of extensive and stable state purchases of weapons and ammunition from producers for the next ten to fifteen years. Civilization aspect: Maintaining consistently high demand for military goods for one to two decades requires a fundamentally different approach from European societies and states to issues of war and peace than is currently the case. It turns out that for the remilitarization of Europe, a series of colonial wars is needed. Colonialism, in any of its manifestations, involves the institutionalization of inequality between Europeans and those outside Europe. Remilitarization means that the “flower generation,” the people who tried to “love, not war,” must acknowledge their defeat, and more than half a century of conscious rejection of making military violence a significant political instrument, which has always been reckless, is regarded as a terrible mistake that must not be repeated. European elites see and understand the consequences of this choice. Therefore, we can argue that the million shells for Ukraine cost Europeans significantly more than a few pitiful billion euros. It costs dreams of humanism, of a bright communist future, dreams of a time when the bright, rational, human will ultimately overcome all that is dark, primitive, and bestial.

Polish Humanitarian Aid and Military Assistance to Ukraine Fighting Russia

Abstract The article describes the aid Poland is providing to Ukraine fighting Russia. Our country has been providing both humanitarian and military assistance since the beginning of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, i.e. from 24 February 2022 up till now. Poland is a country that is at the forefront of contributing such help. Special attention should be paid to the involvement of Polish society, especially in the first days of the war, where they received Ukrainian refugees in their own homes sharing food and money with them. Military assistance, which has been continuously sent to the Ukrainian army for two years, plays an important role, and our Armed Forces are involved in the training of Ukrainian soldiers. Without international support, Russia’s flag would have already been hoisted on the tallest buildings in Kiev, and someone appointed by Vladimir Putin would have taken the presidential seat in place of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Shadows of identity: the experience of Jewish soldiers in the Ukrainian military

ABSTRACT This article delves into the study of Jewish identity within the Ukrainian army, providing a detailed exploration of the experiences of soldiers with Jewish backgrounds fighting at the front lines of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Considering the historical complexities and contemporary challenges faced by the Jewish community in Ukraine, the study investigates how military service transforms the national and ethnic self-identification of Jewish soldiers. Through interviews and comprehensive contextual analysis, we illuminate their personal narratives, ways of expressing identity, common features, inclusivity, and the adaptation of diverse cultural backgrounds within the Ukrainian army.‏ Our study contends that within the military landscape of the ongoing war, the perception of Jewish identity in Ukraine undergoes a significant shift, becoming more prominent and tangible. This transformation imbues the lives of Jewish soldiers with a profound sense of pride and uniqueness.

The United States against Russian aggression in Ukraine in 2022

The paper analyzes the US response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2022. It discusses the American perception of the war in Ukraine, the military support provided to the Ukrainian army by the US, the economic and humanitarian aspects of the American response to the war, the prospect of further US aid, and the perception of the possibility of ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Field Artillery in the defensive war of Ukraine 2022-2023. Part II. Methods of task implementation

This article is a continuation of the considerations regarding the use of field artillery in Ukraine’s defensive war in the period from 24th February 2022 to the 2023 summer offensive of the Ukrainian army. Artillery in this armed conflict is used by both sides with great intensity and is an essential means of fire support, often decisive for the success of the implemented operations. The aim of the second part of the article is to present ways of using field artillery units in selected operations of the Ukrainian war. As before, the subject of the research is the missile forces and artillery of the warring parties, but in this case, above all, the way they carry out their tasks. In his research, the author wants to answer the following problematic questions: How did the field artillery units of both parties involved in the conflict carry out combat tasks in selected phases of the war? What conclusions can be drawn from this for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, which are currently increasing their capabilities, especially their artillery capabilities, as well as for other NATO armies? The Author, an artillery officer by education and currently a military academic teacher academically involved in the issue of state military security, based his academic analysis largely on his personal academic achievements and conclusions gained from participating in military exercises, conversations, and workshops conducted with Ukrainian officers before the outbreak of the war, as well as on the latest academic studies and reports on the course of warfare.

Gender Equality in Wartime: How War Changed the Role of Women in Society

The article analyzes the current state and promising ways of ensuring gender equality in the defense and security forces of Ukraine. The aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the resulting violation of territorial integrity, sovereignty, encroachment on Ukraine’s independence, brought to the fore the issue of overcoming gender stereotypes, establishing equality, and combating gender-based and sexual violence both in Ukraine and around the world. In these conditions, first of all, the state policy regarding the development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was revised. This article focuses on the issues of military service from the point of view of equal rights, opportunities and equal value of the results of the activities of men and women. “Stereotyping” of their roles in resolving armed conflicts is one of the reasons for gender inequality within the security and defense sector of Ukraine. The author analyzed the number of armed forces of some foreign countries for genetic equality. Some countries already have female (or predominantly female) units, however, regular armies rarely involve them in direct combat. It is concluded that women play a significant role in the modern Ukrainian army, and recent events, in particular Russian aggression against Ukraine, continue to create instability in the world. And in such difficult conditions, our state, most likely, will have to exist for quite a long time. Therefore, it would be possible to significantly strengthen the defense capability of the country by attracting women to mandatory military service. The article also draws attention to the fact that in modern conditions there is a steady trend towards a significant increase in the number of women, the geography of the positions held by female servicemen is expanding significantly, but in order to ensure gender equality in the Armed Forces, the legislator must still improve the mechanism for taking into account the characteristics of social gender under time of military service. Moreover, the understanding of gender equality in the military should become established - not as a mechanical identification of men and women, but as taking into account the specifics of the capabilities of one or another social gender to effectively perform their official duties in certain positions with the most positive result.

The content and structure of the educational discipline "Military-patriotic education" for the preparation of applicants for the specialty 017 "Physical culture and sports"

The full-scale war in Ukraine determined the educational strategy of the state regarding the organization and implementation of military-patriotic education and military-patriotic training of youth. The article presents the content and elements of the structure of the educational discipline "Military-patriotic education" for the preparation of applicants for the "Physical culture and sports" specialty. Research methods used: analysis of educational and methodological literature; study of scientific publications on the subject of research; systematization and generalization of information; study of regulatory documentation regarding the organization of the educational process in institutions of higher education.
 The training course contains three credits, 2 content modules: the basics of military and patriotic education; physical and military training. The goal of the educational discipline is to form the affirmation of national identity, patriotic consciousness, a sense of loyalty and love for Ukraine, readiness to fulfill the civic and constitutional duty to protect national interests, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine based on real heroic examples of Ukrainians.
 The educational course includes the following topics: structure and content of military-patriotic education; history of the Ukrainian army and military service; state symbols of Ukraine; military and patriotic games; general physical training; fire training; topographic preparation; tactical training; tactical medicine.
 During the study, relevant competences are formed. The system of values, which Ukraine demonstrates by its own example and the highest price of Ukrainian Heroes, is assimilated; the formation of patriotic values, education of respect and dignity, features of the Ukrainian mentality; acquisition of skills and abilities in military applied training.

РОЛЬ ЗАСОБІВ МАСОВОЇ ІНФОРМАЦІЇ УКРАЇНИ У ФОРМУВАННІ СТАВЛЕННЯ СПІЛЬНОТИ ДО УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ЖІНОЦТВА В АРМІЇ ТА НА ВІЙНІ

The authors of the article analyze the role and significance of the mass media in highlighting the contribution of Ukrainian women to the fight against the Russian aggressor, overcoming gender stereotypes regarding women military servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the mass consciousness of Ukrainian society, and in general, the specifics of the reflection of this process in the mass media of Ukraine. The article notes that with the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the territory of the independent Ukrainian state, significant changes took place in the Ukrainian mass media regarding the perception and representation of female military personnel in the Ukrainian army. If before the full-scale invasion of the Russian invaders into the territory of Ukraine there were differences in the assessment of the positive role of women in the Armed Forces, today women in the Ukrainian army are perceived as a positive phenomenon. The defenders of the people and the country against a dangerous enemy are the pride of Ukraine. Media materials reflect the real attitude of the warring society towards its women defenders and are an indicator of the process of overcoming a number of gender stereotypes that were inherent in Ukrainian society in the previous years before Russia’s open aggression against Ukraine. In particular, stereotypes about the inability of women to perform military tasks on an equal footing with men, the unsuitability of women to participate in war in general, the weakness of the female sex, etc. The article concludes about the active movement of Ukrainians towards the equality and equality of women and men in the army, including through overcoming gender stereotypes. The authors pay attention to specific examples and features of coverage of Ukrainian women's participation in hostilities through mass media; the connection of gender transformations in the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the principles of NATO is traced. The article makes a forecast regarding the mandatory/optional conscription of Ukrainian women into the army.

СОЦІОКУЛЬТУРНИЙ АНАЛІЗ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЙ ҐЕНДЕРНОЇ СТРУКТУРИ ВІЙСЬКОВОЇ СФЕРИ: ВІТЧИЗНЯНИЙ ТА ЗАРУБІЖНИЙ ДОСВІД

Gender integration both in the field of national security and defense, as well as its global development trends, which depend on the traditions, culture and political priorities of each state are examine in the article. Implementation of the gender equality principle and the mechanism of its provision in the Ukrainian army requires taking into account not only the world experience of military feminization, but also the possibility of its practical application, taking into account the realities of modern war. The socio-cultural approach to the implementation of gender policy in the military sphere involves the achievement of gender parity in accordance with the existing socio-cultural guidelines in society in order to ensure equal conditions for the exercise of rights and opportunities for the armed protection of the state by representatives of both sexes without restrictions associated with rigidly fixed gender roles. Equality between women and men is considered a human rights issue and a necessary condition for Ukraine's full membership in the Alliance, which cannot be achieved without proper representation of various social and gender groups in the power structures. According to the results of the conducted research, it was found that during the military operations since 2014, the gender composition of the Ukrainian army has changed significantly - the number of women in the army has almost tripled, and it continues to increase. There are also positive dynamics regarding gender stereotypes in society, increasing the level of social awareness and gender competence of military personnel. The analysis of the requirements of the normative legal acts proved that women in Ukraine have relatively equal rights and duties, but at the same time certain signs of gender imbalance, characteristic of the Ukrainian society as a whole, remain in the army. In this regard, the efforts of the government and society to form an effective gender policy in the field of defense should be aimed at minimizing the manifestations of discrimination based on gender in the Ukrainian army, which requires the development of effective administrative and legal means to eradicate gender stereotypes, the implementation of relevant legislative initiatives, the search for innovative approaches to the formation and implementation of gender policy in the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the aim of reducing the gap between declarative and real implementation of gender equality and its adaptation in accordance with the specific needs of the defense sector.

Analysis of Russian Narratives Denying the Genocide of the Ukrainian Nation During the War, 2014-2024

Russia's information campaign against Ukraine is multifaceted and open to different interpretations. As a rule, the Russian information campaign is flexible and contextualized, and each narrative has its own style that takes into account all its peculiarities. There is no agreed-upon model that can be used to explain the current narrative of Russia's information war against Ukraine. Instead of hiding information, the Russian Federation often "floods" the media, providing a large amount of information about this or that event, skillfully combining it with disinformation. These media campaigns evoke strong emotions, promote a culture of fear and create panic. Each publication has a certain style of journalism. Some publications maintain a balanced point of view and avoid emotionalism. Others incite hatred against Ukrainians and manipulate public opinion, portraying Ukrainians as puppets of the West, traitors, criminals, fascists, extremists, separatists and other "true patriots". This article analyzes the methods of Russian propaganda in Ukraine. In particular, the main narratives of Russian propaganda are the following: Ukraine is a country that never existed; Ukraine needs regime change; there is a "third Maidan"; Ukraine revives fascist and Nazi practices and is Russophobic; the Ukrainian army is a den of criminals, and NATO soldiers fight on the side of the Ukrainian state; The Russian Federation has nothing to do with the "Ukrainian conflict"; Western countries are trying to destroy Ukraine. Russian mass media disseminate propaganda messages prepared by the Kremlin and present them in a mutually agreed upon form. Today, these practices have become particularly acute. The tactics of Russian propaganda consist in focusing on emotions, creating enemies, biased presentation of information and creating theories without empirical basis to "explain" events.