Transformation of Ukrainian National Identity in the Context of a Full-Scale Invasion by the Russian Federation

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive study of the transformation of Ukrainian national identity under the conditions of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation through the analysis of interconnected social, political, and symbolic processes shaping the contemporary dynamics of social consolidation. The methodological framework combines the analysis of representative sociological data collected by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Rating Sociological Group, and the Razumkov Centre during 2021–2025, a comparative-analytical method for tracing the dynamics of identity indicators over time, and a systemic approach to examining the interaction between institutional, social, and symbolic factors of transformation.

Based on the analysis of sociological indicators, a significant transformation in the self-identification of Ukrainians has been revealed, reflected in the growing share of the population identifying themselves as citizens of Ukraine (89%). It has been demonstrated that, in parallel, there occurred a large-scale voluntary derussification of the linguistic sphere, the decolonization of the sacred calendar, and a reconsideration of the symbolic space of memory, all accompanied by distancing from Russian cultural influence. The key indicators of the transformation of Ukrainian national identity during the full-scale war have been identified as the regional configuration of society, changes in state policy, the emergence of new everyday practices, and the strengthening of social self-organization.

The regional configuration led to the displacement of millions of citizens, resulting in the erosion of the traditional electoral and cultural “East–West” divide and contributing to the large-scale “stitching together” of the country through direct interaction among residents of different regions. Changes in state policy were manifested in the adoption of laws concerning Ukrainian national identity and national memory, as well as in the decolonization of toponymy and calendar reform. State policy also influenced everyday societal practices, particularly through the institutionalization of a nationwide minute of silence, the creation of “living corridors” of honor, and the emergence of spontaneous grassroots memorials.

The war also gave rise to the phenomenon of social self-organization, manifested in mass volunteering, regular blood donation, financial support for the armed forces, and the broad involvement of citizens in mutual aid practices, thereby transforming national belonging from a declarative category into a daily behavioral practice. The societal consolidation formed under wartime conditions demonstrates signs of a long-term structural transformation rather than a situational reaction to crisis. This provides grounds for considering it one of the key resources of state resilience, social mobilization, and the political integration of Ukraine under conditions of prolonged military confrontation.