RELIGIOUS SECURITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR: THE TRANSFORMATION OF “RUSSIAN WORLD” NARRATIVES AND THE FORMATION OF COUNTER-NARRATIVE STRATEGIES

Abstract

The article analyzes the transformational features of the “Russian world” (Russkiy mir) narratives during the Russian-Ukrainian war in the context of religious security and the development of their counter-narrative strategies. Attention is drawn to various approaches to understanding the concept of the “Russian world”. The author concludes that, on the one hand, it has undergone historical, transformational shifts – solving from a culturalcivilizational construct into a political-ideological narrative. On the other hand, it possesses a syncretic, eclectic character that combines Pan-Slavic ideas, the concept of “Holy Rus”, and Eurasian concepts of Russia’s civilizational exceptionalism. In contemporary conditions, this complex is used as a mechanism for identity construction, the dissemination of geopolitical perceptions, and manipulative technologies. The study highlights the main trends in the transformation of “Russian world” narratives during the war, which manifest as: their reimagining as threats to religious and national security; the deconstruction of imperial stereotypes and myths; the affirmation of Ukrainian civilizational subjectivity; a shift from the concept of "brotherly nations" toward a decolonial vision of history; the formation of narratives of resistance, resilience, and civic solidarity. It is noted that under conditions of aggression, coinciental (cognitive) warfare is utilized by Russia to “blur” consciousness, destroy identification markers, and lay the groundwork for the “Russian world” ideology. The narratives of the “Russian world”, while correlating with religious security as the protection and affirmation of the principles of religious freedom and worship, stimulate the formation of effective counter-narrative strategies. These strategies are aimed at overcoming manipulative meanings, preserving national identity, and strengthening the value-based resilience of Ukrainian society during the war. The article emphasizes that religious security, transformational technologies, and counter-narrative strategies emerge as an important, holistic tool for countering the concept of the “Russian world”, its manipulative religious practices, and hybrid threats involving the instrumentalization of religion.