Scientific Papers of the Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsyiubynskyi State Pedagogical University Series History
The journal covers current problems of history of Ukraine, World history, historical local history, ethnology, historiography, source studies, theories and methodologies of history, the most modern monographic works in the field of historical sciences are reviewed. The publication is designed for scientists, ethnographers, teachers, postgraduates, students, everyone who seek to get a solid knowledge of the theoretical and applied nature of history. By the decision of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine this journal is included in the list of scientific professional editions (category B) in which the results of dissertations on historical sciences can be published. (Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine No.409 dated 17/03/2020).
Вінницький державний педагогічний університет імені Михайла Коцюбинського
History as a political weapon in the modern multipolar world: challenges for Ukraine (reflections of a historian and a politician)
Section: Original articles Keywords: global history, recent history, the current Russian-Ukrainian war, international security, the instrumentalization of history, collective consciousness, public culture The purpose of this article is to provide a systematic analysis of the range of challenges facing Ukraine in a global and multipolar world since February 24, 2022. The methodology relies on interdisciplinary methods and concepts drawn from global history, sociology, and political science. Scientific novelty. The article examines the recent history of Ukraine within the dimensions of national and global history. It explores key transformations in the historical and cultural consciousness of society. It analyzes the conceptual foundations of the political course of the Donald Trump administration in the context of historical traditions of U.S. foreign policy. The instrumentalization of history as a kind of political weapon circulating in Russian ideological, cultural, and mass media discourses is demonstrated. The Russian strategy for legitimizing aggressive foreign policy, primarily the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, is outlined. Conclusions. It is demonstrated that contemporary public culture is shaped by the influence of diverse mass media technologies and tools. It is emphasized that such technological transformation of collective memory, particularly of the past, gives rise to a wide range of risks, dangers, contradictions, and conflicts. It is shown that both historical traditions and their destructive revisions exert a significant influence on the geopolitical actors of the modern global world. The role of political culture and its historical components in preventing conflict situations and critical states of social existence has been clarified. It has been noted that it is precisely the dynamic balance between political culture, memory politics, and cultural and educational policies that enables the formation of a vibrant civil society.
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Imperial expansionism and the prospects for the decline of Russia: a historical and political analysis
Section: Original articles Keywords: geopolitical revenge, imperial policy, the collapse of Russia, the Russian-Ukrainian war, territorial expansion, the West The purpose of the article is to analyze the reasons for the expansionist policy of the Russian Federation, based on the Russian imperial tradition and the potential capabilities of the leading Western powers to counteract Moscow's desire to revise the results of the Cold War. The methodology of the research is based on a combination of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special historical (historical-genetic, historical-typological, historical-systemic) methods with the principles of historicism, systematicity, scientificity and verification. The article also uses methods of historical analogies and political forecasting. The latter, in particular, is suitable for predicting the possible decline of the Russian Federation as an imperial entity. Scientific novelty of the work. The authors believe that the revival of Russian expansionism in the post-Soviet space became possible due to the actual indulgence of the West, led by the USA, to the policy of Russian imperial revenge, the beginning of which should be the restoration of the Soviet Union within the borders of 1991. The result of the West's loyal attitude to Russian geostrategic plans was not only the wars of the Russian Federation in the post-Soviet space, but also the conviction of the Russian authorities to assist the administration of US President D. Trump in returning Russia to the status of an influential international actor. The basis for such a policy of the Russian Federation is the history of US-Russian relations over the past 100 years. However, as the history of the collapse of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union has shown, such a US policy does not guarantee the preservation of Russia as an empire. The authors are convinced that the final decline of the Russian Empire can be led to the defeat of Russia in the war with Ukraine and its subsequent democratization. Conclusions. Thus, the consequences of the West's actual indulgence in the policy of Russian imperial revenge were the wars of the Russian Federation in Georgia and Ukraine, and the conviction of the Russian authorities in the effectiveness of the policy of aggressive wars, which, together with the use of nuclear blackmail tactics, will contribute to the return of Russia to the status of an influential international actor. The basis for this policy of the Russian Federation is the history of US-Russian relations over the past 100 years, the leitmotif of which was the desire of the United States to preserve Russia as a counterparty in various models of world order due to the predictability of its foreign policy, which is based on territorial expansion and world domination, as well as fear of the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons. To overcome the fear of the Russian nuclear threat, Western countries must increase sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation, which will make it impossible to continue Russian aggressive wars. The only way to encourage Moscow to negotiate is a policy of forcefully forcing Russia to peace. Also, as the history of the collapse of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union shows, military defeat and democratization of Russia can lead to the final decline of the three-hundred-year-old Russian imperial project.
geopolitical revenge, imperial policy, the collapse of Russia, the Russian-Ukrainian war, territorial expansion, the West
Visual symbols of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and their deconstruction in Perets Vesela Respublika magazine cartoons (2022 – 2024)
Section: Original articles Keywords: Perets Vesela Respublika magazine, 21st century history, cartoon, propaganda, Russian-Ukrainian war, ‘V’ symbol, ‘Z’ symbol The purpose of the article is to examine the historical deployment of ‘Z’ and ‘V’ symbols as propaganda tools to legitimize the invasion of Ukraine. It traces their functional evolution and analyzes the unique strategies of ideological deconstruction employed within Ukrainian political cartooning to neutralize these symbols. The methodological framework for analyzing the symbolic content of ‘Z’ and ‘V’ symbols and their reception relies on W. J. T. Mitchell’s theories regarding the social life of images. Following Mitchell, this study interprets the ridicule of these symbols in Ukrainian cartoons as active iconoclasm. This strategy neutralizes ideological threats by dismantling the fear that their visual power inspires. Furthermore, Nicholas Mirzoeff’s concept of visuality serves as the basis for explaining how ‘Z’ and ‘V’ exert control over Russian citizens, while framing their deconstruction in cartoons as a tactical resistance to the totalizing power of visuality during wartime. The scientific novelty of this research consists of a comprehensive analysis of ‘Z’ and ‘V’ symbols throughout their entire trajectory: from their emergence as tools of Russian military mobilization to their ideological degradation and symbolic destruction within the pages of Perets Vesela Respublika magazine. This study unravels the specific mechanisms of deconstruction that transform these propaganda markers into objects of ridicule. Conclusions. The ‘Z’ and ‘V’ symbols originated without any inherent ideological or cultural-historical foundation. Their semantic vacuum, coupled with aggressive state popularization, transformed these signs into primitive yet potent instruments of mobilization. Consequently, the Russian authorities weaponized this visual simplicity to exert control over the public consciousness during the invasion. At the same time, these symbols became targets for counter-visual reinterpretation and deconstruction through Ukrainian cartoons. Cartoons destroy the ideological pathos of this propaganda product, both in terms of analyzing the causes and consequences of the war and the concepts of the ‘Russian world’ and Rashism. The ‘Z’ symbol serves as the semantic center of satirical criticism, functioning as both a marker of aggression and a visual identity code for the average Russian. By exposing the striking parallels between the visual aesthetics of twentieth-century totalitarianism and modern Russia, cartoonists highlight their shared ideological continuity in fostering imperial narratives and maintaining hypocritical pacifist rhetoric amidst militaristic expansion. By employing the ‘war – peace’ dichotomy, cartoonists indict the Russian Federation for unleashing aggression against Ukraine. This artistic strategy underscores the purely destructive role of the ‘Z’ and ‘V’ propaganda symbols, revealing them as catalysts for the erosion of global peace.
The European identity of Ukrainians: origins and transformations in a historical perspective
Section: Original articles Keywords: European identity, Ukrainian society, social constructivism, the concept of imagined communities, European integration, democratic transformations The purpose of the article is to analyse the historical evolution and transformation of Ukrainian European identity, adopting a longue durée perspective and the mechanisms through which ideas of Europeanness were constructed, transmitted, and reinterpreted across different historical periods. Research methodology. The study is based on an interdisciplinary methodological framework that combines historical analysis with the theory of social constructivism and the concept of imagined communities. It demonstrates that an interdisciplinary approach enables the reconstruction of the historical origins and transformations of identity and the assessment of its impact on contemporary cultural and political orientations, as well as social relations in Ukraine . The application of social constructivist theories and the concept of imagined communities explains how Ukrainians perceived themselves as part of the European cultural space in various historical configurations. Scientific novelty. The novelty of the study is the understanding of European identity as a historically shaped and evolving phenomenon based on earlier political, cultural, and civilizational interactions with Europe, rather than as a result of contemporary European integration. Accordingly, the research provides a comprehensive perspective on identity analysis by uniting regional, social, intellectual factors within a European historical context. Conclusions. The study demonstrates that Ukrainian European identity emerged under both internal and external influences and was formed through historical events that involved inclusion and exclusion in European political and cultural domains. Therefore, the process of identity formation involves three dimensions, which include political, cultural, and value-based elements that people use to define themselves . At the same time, it is examined how historical and contemporary factors at both the local and international levels , affect the development of identity. In this context, the study shows that the formation and transformation of European identity across successive historical periods – particularly in light of the current security and political context – play a significant role in shaping Ukrainians’ contemporary foreign policy orientations.
Copyright (c) 2026 Vinnitsa Mykhailo Kotsyiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Series: History https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The ideological evolution of the Conservative and Labour parties of the United Kingdom with respect to european integration (1970–2016): a comparative analysis
Section: Original articles Keywords: Euroscepticism, Conservative Party, Labour Party, European integration, Brexit, Margaret Thatcher This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the ideological evolution of the Conservative Party and the Labour Party of the United Kingdom concerning European integration over the period 1970–2016 and seeks to explain the causes of their diametrically opposed transformations. The methodology is grounded in general scientific principles of historicism, objectivity, scholarly rigour, and systematic analysis. The study employs civilisational, socio-historical, institutional, and micro-historical approaches. The source base comprises doctrinal party documents, speeches by leading political actors, statistical reports, public opinion data, and the results of referendums. The article’s original contribution lies in its analysis of the process of ideological evolution of the Conservative and Labour parties of the United Kingdom with respect to European integration from 1970 to 2016. It also characterises the key stages of this process, which led to a reversal of positions: from the pragmatic pro-Europeanism of the Conservatives and the radical Euroscepticism of the Labour Party in the 1970s to the deeply entrenched Euroscepticism of the former and the moderate pro-European stance of the latter on the eve of the 2016 referendum. Conclusions. The ideological evolution of the Conservative and Labour parties of the United Kingdom regarding European integration during 1970–2016 was shaped by two principal factors. First, the European issue was systematically instrumentalised to address domestic political challenges. Second, the evolution of the European Union from an economic to a political union elicited contrasting responses, alienating Conservatives while attracting Labour. Additionally, the article demonstrates that the consequences of this ideological evolution were markedly different for each party: for the Labour Party, the shift towards pro-European positions became an integral part of its modernisation and consolidation processes, whereas for the Conservatives, the deepening of Euroscepticism became a source of chronic internal division.
Copyright (c) 2026 Scientific Notes of Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi Vinnytsia State Pedagogical University. Series: History. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in the global system: origins, goals and implementation mechanisms
Section: Original articles Keywords: NEPAD, African Union, infrastructure projects, CAADP, PIDA, APRM, regional integration, Agenda 2063, sustainable development The purpose of the article is to analyse the history of the establishment, objectives, and implementation mechanisms of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), examining its conceptual foundations, key programmes (CAADP, PIDA, APRM), and the assessment of its practical effectiveness in the context of contemporary global and regional challenges. The methodological framework is based on the principles of systemic, institutional, and comparative analysis, which makes it possible to trace the interrelationship between NEPAD’s objectives and the mechanisms of their practical implementation, as well as to assess the initiative’s actual impact on the development of the African continent. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive combination of historical analysis with an evaluation of NEPAD’s contemporary mechanisms as an instrument of Africa’s global integration. For the first time, the interconnection between the political, economic, and social dimensions of the programme is systematised; the key implementation challenges are identified; and the role of NEPAD in the development of governance practices, infrastructure, and the socio-economic progress of the continent is emphasised. The conclusions demonstrate that NEPAD represents an important continental development instrument aimed at enhancing economic stability, integrating African countries into the global economy, and strengthening political cooperation. The programme ensures the coordination of major strategic initiatives such as CAADP, PIDA, and APRM, thereby enabling a comprehensive approach to development challenges and the implementation of socio-economic reforms. At the same time, the effectiveness of NEPAD is constrained by a number of factors, including insufficient financial resources, inadequate coordination between international and African partners, and political instability in certain member states. These factors slow the achievement of the programme’s strategic objectives and pose significant challenges to its sustainable development in a dynamic global and regional environment. Despite these difficulties, NEPAD demonstrates considerable potential in promoting Africa’s long-term development and fostering effective international partnerships.
Copyright (c) 2026 Scientific Notes of Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky VSPU. Series: History. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Documentary evidence of soviet repression in Azerbaijan 1920–1950
Section: Original articles Keywords: Soviet repression, Azerbaijan, NKVD, archival documents, political violence, Great Terror, Stalinist policy The purpose of this article is to analyze the evolution, mechanisms, and socio-political consequences of Soviet repression in Azerbaijan between 1920 and 1950 based on previously underexplored archival materials. The study seeks to identify the institutional logic of repression, the role of Soviet security bodies in restructuring political and cultural life, and the regional features that distinguished Azerbaijan from other Soviet republics. The research methodology is grounded in the principles of historicism, scientific objectivity, and systematic analysis. To address the research objectives, the study employs historiographical analysis, source-critical examination, chronological and problem-oriented approaches, and descriptive analysis. The empirical base consists of interrogation protocols, internal correspondence, operational reports, and administrative directives preserved in various fonds of the Azerbaijan Republic State Archive. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the reinterpretation of Soviet repression in Azerbaijan through a comprehensive synthesis of archival evidence that has remained insufficiently studied. The research identifies regional characteristics in investigative practices, ideological narratives, and local adaptations of all-Union directives, demonstrating how central policies were implemented at the republican level. The findings show that Soviet repression in Azerbaijan developed through several stages, including early Sovietization, the Great Terror, and the post-war period of ideological control. These processes led to the elimination of political elites, the transformation of intellectual life, and the restructuring of social institutions. The archival materials reveal that repression functioned not only as a tool of political violence but also as a long-term mechanism of social and cultural control whose consequences extended far beyond the Stalinist era.
Rural medicine in the Podillia governorate under the conditions of the new economic policy (1921–1925)
Section: Original articles Keywords: epidemiological situation, medical network, medical staff, sanitary condition, rural medicine, healthcare, Podillia The aim of the article is to reconstruct, based on archival materials, a holistic picture of the functioning of the medical sector in a Podillia village in the 1920s, to identify the specifics of regional challenges and the effectiveness of the Soviet health care model in overcoming the consequences of the humanitarian crisis in the Podillia region. Research methodology. The research was based on the principles of historicism and objectivity, as well as general scientific (analysis, synthesis, logical, generalization), special methods of historical science (historical-comparative, problem-chronological, historical-systemic, historical-legal, historical-genetic). The objective and comprehensive coverage of the problem was facilitated by a historical-anthropological approach based on the study of medicine not simply as a system of institutions, but as the experience of survival of a particular person in conditions of socio-political changes. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the use of archival materials that allowed us to recreate the real state of rural medicine in Podillya against the background of the formation of a new structure of medical care in the countryside, as well as in carrying out a holistic analysis of the functioning of the medical sector of the region in close connection with the socio-economic processes of that time. Conclusions. The beginning of the 1920s was a time of contradictory restoration of medicine in the Podillya countryside from complete decline after the First World War and the Civil War to attempts to build a system of “socialist health care”. It can be stated that this period was characterized by a paradoxical combination: on the one hand, the ideologisation of medicine and a chronic shortage of resources, on the other, the laying of the foundation for systematic methods of combating epidemics and the formation of preventive medicine, which saved thousands of lives. However, success was achieved not so much due to new treatment methods, but rather due to strict administrative measures: mandatory vaccination, the deployment of isolation wards and mass sanitary propaganda. Carrying out sanitary and educational work allowed to stabilize the epidemiological situation, but at the same time turned medicine into an instrument of ideological control over the Podillia village. The modernization of rural medicine in the region took place in conditions of an acute shortage of personnel, medicines and equipment and was based on the enthusiasm of doctors, the remnants of the old material base and partly the assistance of international organizations. Despite the declarative freeness, in the early 1920s. there was a transition from state maintenance of medical institutions to strict self-financing and decentralization of financing. The transition to the local budget allowed to improve the situation of medical and pharmacy business, but it hit the village hard, since the peasants did not have the funds to maintain hospitals. In general, there was a gap between the propaganda slogans about the “best Soviet healthcare” and the real state of rural medicine.
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Jewish political parties in the focus of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine during the second bolshevik occupation of Ukraine (january – august 1919): an analysis of Politburo minutes
Section: Original articles Keywords: Jewish political parties, CC CP(b)U, Politburo, Kombund, Poalei Zion, internationalism, assimilation, second Bolshevik occupation of Ukraine, 1919 The aim of the study is to examine the policy of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine toward Jewish political forces during the second Bolshevik occupation of Ukrainian territory (January – August 1919). The methodology is based on a comprehensive analysis of primary archival sources – the minutes of the Politburo of the CC CP(b)U meetings from April to August 1919. The chronological approach to the presentation of the material allows for a reconstruction o f the evolution of the party leadership’s policy toward Jewish parties and organisations. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the systematic introduction into scholarly circ u l ati on of previously little-known Politburo minutes of the CC CP(b)U, which enable the tracing of the internal dynamics of policy toward Jewish political forces. For the first time, the study comprehensively reveals the specific features of the Bolshevik v e rsi on of internationalism in Ukraine under the conditions of War Communism in 1919. The conclusions establish that the policy of the CC CP(b)U toward Jewish political parties in 1919 aimed at their complete organizational integration into the CP(b)U witho u t p reserving autonomous national structures. The « Jewish vector » of Bolshe vik policy in Ukraine in 1919 became not only a test of the strength of their internationalism but also a vivid example of how declared « ideological purity » came into conflict with t he realities of armed struggle for power and mass violence. This policy in itiated the process of dissolving left-wing Jewish parties (in particular, the Kombund and the left wing of Poalei Zion) into the CP(b)U, creating prerequisites for their full abso r p tio n in subsequent years and laying the groundwork for the « korenizatsiia » practice of the 1920s, when cultural autonomy was possible only under full political subordination to the party. At the same time, its rigidity complicated the legitimation of Sov i e t p ower among parts of the Jewish political forces, which, amid pogroms an d instability, were forced to choose between dissolution, emigration, or underground activity.
The genesis of the professional technical education system in Poland in the 16th – 19th centuries within the general context of European socio-economic changes
Section: Original articles Keywords: historical and pedagogical analysis, Poland, industrial development, vocational education, professional technical education The study purpose is to analyze formation and development of the professional technical education system in Poland during the 16th - 19th centuries in the general context of socio-economic changes taking place in Europe at that time. The research methodology is based on combination of heuristic approach and historical reconstruction of the events under study. A historical-systemic analysis of the organization of professional technical education in Poland was applied based on a retrospective study of the main educational trends of that time in the context of key socio-political events. The scientific novelty lies in the implementation of integrated comparative analysis of the almost four-hundred-year (16th – 19th centuries) evolution of the Polish system of professional training of specialists in technical specialties in the context of pan-European educational trends. The study highlights the provisions on general trends in the organization of professional education in contemporary Poland, as well as its ability to function effectively and accumulate human capital in the conditions of changing economy. Conclusions. Historical and pedagogical analysis of the development of the professional technical education system in Poland during the 16th - 19th centuries in the general context of European socio-economic changes allowed the authors to identify its institutional and structural changes, assess the factors of efficiency and compliance with contemporary approaches to the organization of professional training. The authors prove that professional technical education in Poland as a social institution developed historically due to the significant influence of socio-economic reasons and material production and evolved in accordance with changes in organization of social life at different stages of the country’s historical development. The most important period in the overall evolution of Polish education was the second half of the 18th century, but the first quarter of the 19th century was crucial for the development of professional technical education, when the separation of educational institutions with a polytechnic or special vocational orientation began. The most difficult times for Polish professional education undoubtedly came after the defeat of the uprisings of 1830 – 1831 and 1863 – 1864.
Between return and sovietization: the struggle of the Berehove jewish community for the Great synagogue (1945–1969)
Section: Original articles Keywords: Berehove, Jews, Israelites, synagogue, Sovietization, Soviet regime, Holocaust survivors The aim of the article was to present, in chronological order and from a historical perspective, the Israelite religious community of Berehove, whose members constituted one third of the town’s population up until the mid-twentieth century. Consequently, they made significant contributions to Berehove’s economic, cultural, and public life. In this study, we explore the period from the end of the Second World War up to the loss of the community’s Great Synagogue, examining the process on a historical plane. The research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific and specific historical methods. Given the limited scholarly coverage of the topic, we conducted primary source research, drawing on unpublished archival documents, the recollections of former Jewish residents of the town, as well as contemporary press reports used as control sources. The scholarly novelty of this work lies in the fact that that question – approached from this perspective and for this particular period – has not previously been examined in either domestic or international historiography. Therefore, we contend that our study fills an existing gap. Conclusions. It can be established that although more than six thousand Jewish inhabitants of Berehove were deported during the Second World War and the Holocaust, the Jewish community did not disappear from the town. This is evidenced by the registration of the Berehove Israelite Orthodox Community in the spring of 1945, in accordance with Soviet expectations, and by the efforts of returnees to reclaim their houses, apartments, and personal property. The new authorities, however, often looked upon the survivors returning from the death camps with distrust, seemingly uneasy about their presence, as families resettled from the Verkhovyna highlands had been placed in their formerly abandoned homes after 1944. Nevertheless, the Israelite community sought solutions, driven by the determination to rebuild their lives. Our research also reveals how the nearly two-thousand-strong Jewish community struggled to regain its religious buildings. Of particular significance is their admirable fight for the Great Synagogue located in the town centre, then the last cultic site in Transcarpathia still functioning according to its original religious purpose. Finally, we trace when and under what circumstances the Great Synagogue of Berehove came into the possession of the Soviet state, and what became of it after it lost its original function.
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The "soviet-style" principle of church-state separation: based on an analysis of top-secret documents of the State Political Directorate (GPU) and the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine CP(b)U
Section: Original articles Keywords: Cheka–GPU, NKVD of the Ukrainian SSR, Soviet secularism, party-state control, operational activities, recruitment, covert surveillance The purpose of this article is to verify the concept widespread in historiography that interprets the Bolshevik secularization of the 1920s as a “legal” or “formal-legal” process, as well as to identify the mechanisms through which the proclaimed state neutrality toward the institution of the church was transformed into a system of administrative and operational control over it. Research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific methods (analysis and synthesis; inductive and deductive reasoning) and special historical approaches (historical-logical and systemic-structural methods). Scientific novelty of the study lies in the integrated analysis of the restrictions imposed by Soviet legislation in the religious sphere (nationalization of church property, deprivation of legal personality of religious organizations, the system of standard contracts, and registration procedures) together with a reconstruction of the covert, agent-based dimension of this policy implemented by the bodies of the Cheka-GPU. Conclusions. The article demonstrates that the principle of the separation of church and state proclaimed by the Soviet authorities was purely declarative and did not correspond to the actual practice of state-church relations. Based on the analysis of top-secret documents of the GPU and the CP(b)U, it is shown that “separation” functioned rather as a system of managed legalization, within which formal legal mechanisms were combined with covert operational control. The registration of religious communities, standard agreements for the use of property, and various authorization procedures were employed as instruments of selection, filtering, and subordination of religious organizations to party-state policy. A particularly important role in this process was played by the agent infiltration of GPU bodies into the leadership structures of Protestant unions and the "orchestration" of their loyal political stance toward Soviet power. It is shown that this practice of "separation,” which in fact amounted to controlled legalization and declarative loyalty, was purely instrumental and temporary in nature. The transition, after the curtailment of the NEP, to a rigidly repressive model of state-church relations confirmed that the previous policy did not constitute the realization of freedom of conscience but was merely an element of a long-term strategy aimed at the subordination, disorganization, and ultimately the elimination of religious communities.
Ukrainian topics on the pages of official publications of the universities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odessa: the second half of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th century
Section: Original articles Keywords: history of Ukraine in the 19th and early 20th centuries, national question, political history, periodical, censorship The purpose of the study is – based on a thorough study of issues of official printed periodicals of the universities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odessa for the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries, to identify articles related to Ukrainian history, language and culture; to find out the frequency of such publications and to what extent their content was consistent with the then-current policy of the imperial authorities, to show, based on the frequency of the presence of Ukrainian topics on the pages of “University News” and “Notes” of the universities of Kharkiv and Odessa, the existence of an anti-Ukrainian policy of the Russian authorities. The research methodology is based on a complex of general scientific and special historical methods. Among them, the key role was played by the methods of analysis, induction and deduction, as well as problem-chronological, historical-psychological, and comparative-historical. The scientific novelty lies in the introduction into scientific circulation of materials on the Ukrainian language, history, and culture that were published on the pages of the “University Bulletins” and “Notes” of the universities of Kharkiv and Odessa of the specified period, which were ignored by researchers. At the same time, attention is drawn to the diverse thematic potential of these types of sources. Conclusions. The analyzed materials confirm the dominance of anti-Ukrainian orientation in the politics of the Russian Empire. At the same time, it was established that despite the official status of the studied periodicals, they sometimes contained materials on Ukrainian topics that were written in a spirit that did not correspond to the imperial policy towards Ukraine. Therefore, they testify to the corresponding position on the Ukrainian issue of their authors, which enriches the study of these personalities. At the same time, it is proved that despite the thesis postulated in historiography about the special role of the University of St. Volodymyr in the Russification policy of the empire, it was on the pages of its periodical that the largest number of publications on Ukrainian topics were placed. Also, the very fact of the appearance of articles useful for studying Ukraine in official printed publications indicates the existence of loopholes in the cumbersome imperial bureaucratic machine, and therefore indicates the effectiveness of the mobile approach to combating it. After all, if the Ukrainian movement was able to survive in the absence of Ukrainian statehood and imperial oppression, then the approach of constantly modifying the methods of fighting the new imperial system is all the more successful now that Ukraine has restored its statehood. This conclusion applies to all spheres of life and is also valuable during Ukraine’s current war for its right to a free life. The attention of historians is also drawn to the main blocks of sources on which this study is based, as a valuable basis for research of various kinds in the field of historical science.
history of Ukraine in the 19th and early 20th centuries
The transformation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Lithuania, 1990 – 2025: personnel and structure
Section: Original articles Keywords: Armed Forces, Republic of Lithuania, Baltic States, transformation, modernization, structure, personnel, demographics This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Lithuania in 1990–2025. The aim of the study is to identify the principal trends in the development of Lithuania's military system from the restoration of state independence to the present stage, taking into account personnel and structural changes. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the concept of military power as the sum of interrelated elements: the will of the army and society to resist and military concepts and organizational structure. These elements are further influenced by “force multipliers,” including political factors and allied commitments. The theoretical approach focuses on explaining long-term transformation processes; particular attention is paid to motivation, structural changes, and demographic constraints. The methodology combines general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, and generalization) with specialized historical methods, applying a comparative approach within the broader Baltic regional context. In addition, quantitative data analysis is employed, particularly in assessing demographic indicators and changes in the personnel structure. The article also applies an institutional and organizational level of analysis, examining the evolution of the structure of brigades, battalions, and forces. In this way, the study combines a conceptual theoretical model and empirical data analysis in order to reveal the logic of the army's transformation over more than three decades. The source base consists of official statistical data, legal acts, and materials of the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania. The scientific novelty of the study lies in its systematic interpretation of more than three decades of continuous transformation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces as an integral phenomenon, with particular attention to demographic constraints and the evolution of organizational structure. It is demonstrated that after 2014 the modernization processes acquired an accelerated character, with a particular emphasis on increasing firepower capabilities. The study concludes that the transformation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces in 1990–2025 took place under conditions of limited demographic resources, but with a gradual overall strengthening of militarization and integration into NATO's collective defence system.
Market reforms in Ukraine’s agriculture: historiography of the issue
Section: Original articles Keywords: historiography, source base, land relations, agricultural market reforms, organizational and economic structures, peasantry, farming The purpose of the article is to analyze the historiographical achievements of domestic scholars in researching market reforms in Ukraine's agriculture during the second half of the 1980s and the mid-1990s, to determine the contribution of scientific institutions to its development, and to draw researchers' attention to directions for further scientific inquiry. The methodological framework of the study is based on the principles of historicism, consistency, and a comprehensive approach, as well as general scientific and specialized methods of historical science. The use of the historical approach allowed for tracing the process of knowledge accumulation in scientific research, the expansion of their themes, and the trend towards an increasing number of scholars in all regions of Ukraine involved in the study of modern agrarian issues. The problem-chronological method enabled an analysis of historical literature from the perspective of all its components and the prioritization of existing scientific problems. The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive analysis of accumulated historiographical knowledge regarding key problems of market reforms in agriculture. The study expands the understanding of achievements and unresolved issues, proving that the historiography of the scientific problem centers around such fundamental areas as the formation and functioning of new organizational and economic structures, the transformation of land relations, and the introduction of the agricultural land market. Conclusions. The study demonstrated that since the late 1980s, historiographical knowledge on the topic of market reforms in Ukraine's agriculture has been steadily accumulating. The results of scientific research have been published in articles, monographs, and dissertations, enriching the source base. It was found that the most researched aspects of this multi-vector process include the transformation of land relations, the collapse of kolkhozes (collective farms) and sovkhozes (state farms), and the subsequent emergence of new organizational and economic structures. Scientific literature addresses the transition from public to private ownership of land and other means of agricultural production. However, further research is needed on the mechanisms of state-led divestment of collective farm lands and property, as well as the impact of changes in production relations on the level of social stratification among the peasantry. Researchers should also focus on prosopography (biographical studies), as the agricultural sector has produced many highly qualified specialists of a new type. The time has come for an in-depth study of the peasants' transition from collective to individual farming, highlighting both positive achievements and negative phenomena, such as the causes of the weak cooperative movement and the unforeseen dispossession of peasants' land.
Mosaics in the design of bus stops in Soviet Ukraine (late 1960s – early 1990s): historical and cultural context
Section: Original articles Keywords: mosaics, Soviet cultural heritage, monumental art, ceramic tile, smalt, bus stops, small architectural forms The aim of the article is to analyze the historical and cultural factors that determined the use of monumental decorative mosaics in the design of bus stops in Soviet Ukraine in the late 1960s to the early 1990s. Among the main objectives is an attempt to identify how and why the implementation of the Soviet state road construction program in the Ukrainian SSR resulted in outcomes that were distinctly “national in form”. The methodological framework of the study is based on historical and cultural analysis, as well as the approaches and tools of postcolonial criticism, including the deconstruction of the Soviet narrative and the reinterpretation of national identity. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the comprehensive analysis of the historical and cultural context of the creation of mosaics at bus stops in Soviet Ukraine. Conclusions. The results of the study confirm that the mosaics of bus stop pavilions of the late 1960s to the early 1990s constitute a significant phenomenon in Ukrainian culture, as they combine the language of Soviet modernism with national features of Ukrainian visual culture. It appears appropriate to consider this phenomenon from several perspectives: as a material manifestation of the implementation of the Soviet state's socio-economic policy; as an original form of national visual and artistic expression under conditions of increasing Soviet unification; and as an expression of small-scale economic and artistic entrepreneurial interaction between local organizations and practitioners. The choice of mosaics for decorating roadside small architectural forms was determined by several factors: first, the availability of raw materials and production capacities for ceramic tiles and smalt used in mosaic production; second, the preservation of the traditions of the Ukrainian school of monumental art; and third, the training of professional artistic personnel.
Abuse of power by the bolshevik-soviet leadership at the district level in 1946 (a case study of Vinnytsia region)
Section: Original articles Keywords: district-level leadership, local officials, corruption, crime, Famine of 1946–1947, Soviet violence, prosecutor's office, criminal investigation, collective farm chairman The aim of the article is to analyze the conduct of party-Soviet officials at the district level in 1946 through the prism of violations of “socialist legality,” including corruption, bribery, and violence against the rural population of Vinnytsia region. Methodology. The study is grounded in the principles of scholarly rigor and historicism and employs general scientific methods such as analysis, synthesis, and generalization. The analysis and interpretation of the behavior of the district-level administrative apparatus are based on a combination of problem-chronological, comparative-historical, and historical-critical approaches, which make it possible to identify the motives behind abuses of power and their consequences for those involved. Scientific novelty. Drawing on archival materials introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time, the article seeks to demonstrate the principal methods and forms of violence exercised against collective farm peasants in 1946, as well as to analyze documented cases of abuse of office by authorities, particularly in the form of bribery and corruption aimed at personal enrichment. Conclusions. Based on Communist Party documents from 1946, the study examines the inherently criminal nature of the activities of district-level officials in Vinnytsia region. Exploiting their official positions, the ruling “elite,” under conditions of an artificially induced famine, enriched themselves at the expense of the peasantry, engaged in corruption and bribery, and resorted to physical violence. The documents indicate that, in many cases, the regime deliberately ignored such criminal practices and failed to respond appropriately. Under the extreme conditions of 1946, the gravest offense in the eyes of the Stalinist regime remained the failure to fulfill state grain procurement quotas, while other violations were treated as secondary. Recognizing this, district-level officials used the situation to improve their own material well-being.
Education of the Jewish population of Podillia in the 19th century
Section: Original articles Keywords: Jewish nationality, education, Podillia, schools The purpose of the article is to analyze the processes of formation and development of education in the Podolsk province, in particular, among the Jewish population, to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the activities of Jewish schools at the end of the 19th century. The research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special historical (historical-genetic, historical-typological, historical-systemic) methods with the principles of historicism, systematicity, scientificity and verification. The scientific novelty lies in the thorough study, based on archival documents and other groups of sources, of the history of the development of education by Jewish children, the opening of educational institutions for them, and the activities of Jewish schools in the Podolsk province, which began operating in the second half of the 19th century. Conclusions. Since the time of socio-economic transformations in the life of the Russian Empire, corresponding processes have been taking place in the educational sphere. In general, in the state, including in the Podolsk province, educational institutions of various directions are gradually opening. These are primary schools, gymnasiums, schools (state, private), and theological seminaries. Thanks to the information and analytical-synthetic methods of research on this topic, the process of forming education among the Jewish population in the second half of the 19th century in Podillia is considered. The main problems that arose due to the discriminatory norm established by the government when entering Jewish children into gymnasiums and higher educational institutions are highlighted, which did not allow all those who wanted to receive secondary and higher education. We are making an attempt to analyze that due to the fact that Jews were the third or fourth largest population in the Russian Empire, and in the southwestern cities they received a significant degree of economic development, it was deemed necessary to open special schools, colleges, and gymnasiums for them. One of the versions regarding the acquisition of education by the Jewish population is their gradual rapprochement with the Christian population, as emphasized in his work by P. Chubynsky. It is also worth noting that the government decided to open schools for Jewish women, especially from low-income families. For them, private educational institutions are opened, mostly. At the end of the 19th century, the Jewish population of Podillia had a high level of education.
Cossacks and monarchs: the Zaporozhians at the dawn of «Sich» history
Section: Original articles Keywords: Zaporozhian Cossacks, Cossacks, monarchs, Ukraine, international relations, Zaporizhian Sich The purpose of this article is to highlight the establishment of international relations between Zaporizhzhia leaders and rulers of neighboring states against the backdrop of the struggle for political influence in the Eastern European region. It is noted that this was due to the growth of the Cossack population and the revival of its participation in the socio-political life of Ukraine during the second half of the 16th century. The research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific research principles and specific historical methods: problem-chronological, comparative-historical, and historical-systemic. The scientific novelty of the study lies in its comprehensive coverage of the positions of the leaders of the Zaporizhzhia Cossacks and neighboring monarchs regarding the motivation for their relations. Conclusions. The founding of the Zaporizhzhya Sich became a significant factor in the genesis of international relations of the Ukrainian Cossacks. Іt emerged as a powerful deterrent to the aggression of Tatar nomads on the southern border. At the same time, the emergence of authoritative Cossack leaders in the Sich there led to of the Zaporizhzhya Army's diplomatic contacts with other states. Among them, Moldova, Muscovy Austria and the Ottoman Empire became priorities. Among them, Moldova, Muscovy, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire became priorities. Through the efforts of the brave Zaporizhian knights of Dmytro Vyshnevetskyi, Ivan Pidkova, Jan Oryshovskyi, Bohdan Mykoshynskyi and others, the Ukrainian Cossacks established themselves as a subject of international relations on the European stage.
The Tereshky coin and material hoard (2025) as a source for studying the monetary circulation in the settlements of the Chernyakhiv culture during the Gothic-Roman wars and the crisis of the Roman Empire of the 3rd-century AD
Section: Original articles Keywords: Roman Empire, Chernyakhiv culture, Gothic-Roman wars, coin and material hoard, denarius, antoninian, dupondium, sestertius The purpose of the new scientific research was to comprehensively analyze and introduce into the scientific circulation a new Roman coin-material hoard of the 2nd-early 4th centuries AD, discovered in the fall of 2025 in a garden near the village of Tereshky, Zhmerynka (former Bar) district, Vinnytsia region. The research methodology is based on the widespread use of the scientific principles during the study of the Tereshky Treasure 2025: historicism, objectivity, reliability. When studying the numismatic material, the methods of comparing coin finds with the catalogues, visual and stamp analysis, chronological, weighing and measuring were used. The scientific novelty lies in the value of studying the rare in composition and understudied treasures of the 3rd – early 4th centuries consisting of the Roman coins, in particular antoninians from the period of the Gothic-Roman wars and the crisis of the Roman Empire of the 3rd century. Conclusions. Having examined 9 Roman coins, including 6 coins of the so-called “soldier emperor”: Gordian III, Philip I, Trebonial Gallus, Claudius Gothicus, Aurelian, Maximian, we discovered the close connection between the policy of these Roman emperors and the Gothic-Slavic population of the Chernyakhiv settlements between the Dniester and Southern Buh rivers. The author of the research, analyzing the Roman antoninians, the composition of the metal, and their state of preservation, concludes that there were intense economic and political crisis processes in the Roman society during the Gothic-Roman wars of the 30s-70s of the 3rd century AD which led to the devaluation of the main monetary units of the Roman coins: gold aurei, silver denarii, billon antoninians, brass sesterces and dupondii and the accumulation of full-fledged gold and silver coins in the treasuries. At the end of the 3rd – beginning of the 4th century AD, bronze and copper antoninians, denarii, follis and ases began to prevail in the monetary circulation of the Roman Empire and its provinces. The local Chernyakhiv population continued to use in the monetary circulation, along with the inferior coin of the middle of the 3rd – beginning of the 4th century, high-quality silver denarii of the 1st-2nd centuries AD, as evidenced by the presence in the Tereshky treasure of silver denarii of the emperors Antoninus Pius (138 – 161) and Marcus Aurelius (161 – 180) in good condition with the silver content of over 70%. Thus, similar to the Tereshky, Haisyn, Perehin and Tereshovets’ hoards of the Roman denarii and antoninians found in Podillya in the recent decades, raise the urgent problem of the Roman-barbarian relations, the sources and ways of spreading the Roman coins and plastic, the consequences of the Roman-Gothic wars of the 30s – 70s of the 3rd century AD, which deepened the crisis of the slave-owning Roman society and the attempt to use the Slavic-Gothic military units to protect the eastern Roman provinces for a certain monetary reward. The material available in 60 coin-and-thing hoards and individual finds in the Bar land of Podillya, which contains Roman coins of the 1st – 4th centuries AD, confirms the high density of the settlement of the studied territory by the Slavic and Gothic tribes of the Chernyakhiv culture of the 3rd – 4th centuries AD convincingly testify to the stable, long-term ties of the local population with the Roman Empire.
Intelligence gathering and state secret protection services of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century (Review of the publication: Gurkan E. S. The Sultan's Spies: Intelligence, Sabotage, and Corruption Networks of the 16th Century. Lviv: Annetta Antonenko Publishers; Kyiv: Nika - Center, 2023. 320 p.)
Section: Original articles Keywords: E. S. Gürkan, Ottoman Empire, Ottoman intelligence and counterintelligence, imperial rivalry The article reviews the research of Emrah Safa Gürkan, a leading Turkish historian, academic, and writer specializing in the history of the Ottoman Empire and diplomacy, titled The Sultan's Spies: Intelligence, Sabotage, and Corruption Networks of the 16th Century. The book examines the activities of the 16th-century Ottoman secret services regarding intelligence gathering and the protection of state secrets amidst intense imperial rivalry and the great powers' ambitions to expand their influence into new territories. It is highlighted that the researcher traces the significance of intelligence in the course of Ottoman military events and reconstructs the methods and outcomes of special agencies' operations during the fierce competition for global leadership. Particular attention is paid to the author’s ability to thoroughly analyze and represent the activities of intelligence and counterintelligence, portrayed as a complex, multi-layered system of agents, personal connections, and informal networks that utilized merchants, sailors, corsairs, diplomats, pilgrims, and travelers for data collection. Based on E. S. Gürkan’s work, which is built upon an extensive documentary corpus from the archives of Turkey, Spain, Italy, and Austria, the article concludes that the book traces the activities of key figures in the Ottoman political and military spheres, special agencies, and intelligence and counterintelligence networks within the context of foreign espionage and the maintenance of internal security.
Ottoman intelligence and counterintelligence
Copyright (c) 2026 Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubinskyi State Pedagogical University https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The struggle for the hetman's mace after the death of Ivan Skoropadsky (1722–1727)
Section: Original articles Keywords: Hetmanate, Petro I., P. Polubotok, D. Apostol, P. Orlyk, Hetman government The purpose of the article is to examine the struggle between representatives of various groups of Cossack leaders in the Hetmanate and beyond for the hetmanate government after the death of I. Skoropadsky. This Ukrainian resistance occurred during a tragic period in the history of the Ukrainian Cossack state, when Peter I intensified his attack on its rights, attempting to eliminate the hetmanate and replace it with the rule of an imperial institution – the Little Russian Collegium. Even during a certain liberalisation of Ukrainian politics by the governments of Catherine I and Peter II, the strategic goal of the Moscow rulers remained unchanged – to transform the Hetmanate into one of the provinces of the Russian state. The article highlights the opposition to this Moscow offensive by Cossack leaders, who balanced between defending the autonomy of the Hetmanate and realising their ambitions for power. One of the important components of the Cossack elite's resistance to imperial pressure was the desire to restore the hetmanate as an important attribute of the autonomy of the Cossack state. The research methodology is based on a combination of the principles of historicism, objectivity, polyfactoriality and systematicity with general scientific principles (generalization, synthesis and analysis) and special-historical (problem-chronological, historical-comparative) research methods, which created conditions for an unbiased interpretation of the course of historical processes. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive study and comparative analysis of the power aspirations of P. Polubotka, D. Apostol, and P. Orlyk against the background of the Cossack elders' resistance to imperial pressure. The author attempted to characterize a number of aspects of the struggle for the hetman's mace by representatives of various groups of Cossack officers in the 1720s, which remain insufficiently studied or require new rethinking. Conclusions. The confrontation between the Moscow authorities and the Cossack leaders regarding the autonomy of the Hetmanate, which began, in fact, as early as 1654, became especially acute at the end of the reign of Peter I. The tsar's actions (subordination of the Hetmanate to the Senate, restriction of the rights of the Cossack leaders, prohibition of electing a hetman, transfer of the territory of the Ukrainian regiments under the control of Velyaminov's board) actually undermined the autonomy of the Cossack state. The forms of resistance of the Ukrainian elders to imperial pressure were various actions aimed at preserving the rights and freedoms of the Cossack state: preserving Cossack institutions, seeking support and assistance from foreign states, and fighting to preserve their own power. It is a pity that during a difficult and responsible time for the Hetmanate, its sincere patriots P. Polubotka, D. Apostol, and P. Orlyk did not always manage to unite their efforts to protect the rights of the Ukrainian people. This only played into the hands of tsarism, which, by inciting enmity among the elders, implemented its aggressive policy of incorporating Ukrainian lands.
Hetmanate, Petro I., P. Polubotok, D. Apostol, P. Orlyk, Hetman government
Copyright (c) 2026 Oleksandr Kryvoruchko, Sviatoslav Danylenko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Reception of Mykhailo Hrushevskyi's "History of Ukraine-Rus" in modern Ukrainian historiography
Section: Source studies, historiography, methodology Keywords: M. Hrushevskyi, "History of Ukraine-Rus", modern Ukrainian historiography, reception The purpose of the study is to reconstruct the process of understanding M. Hrushevskyi's "History of Ukraine-Rus" in modern Ukrainian historiography. The research methodology involves the use of the principles of objectivity, historicism, and systematicity, as well as general scientific and special-historical methods typical for historiographical research. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the study of the little-known problem of the reception of M. Hrushevskyi's "History of Ukraine-Rus" in the historiography of the late 20th - early 21st centuries. Conclusions. The article has concluded that the research of M. Hrushevskyi's main work has acquired unprecedented intensity during the last three decades. This was facilitated by wider-scale publishing work - the mass reprinting of the original and English-language versions of "History of Ukraine-Rus" made it available to a wide range of readers and researchers. As a result, numerous different-format studies of individual problems and nuances of the grand narrative (historiosophical, methodological, problem-thematic, etc.) as well as attempts to understand it holistically in the context of the progress of Ukrainian studies at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 21st centuries appeared. These studies convincingly showed "History of Ukraine-Rus" as the most significant historical work for Ukrainian historiography, which metaphorically established the title of "historical passport of the Ukrainian people". At the same time, the mentioned intensity of research reflection makes it possible to outline further historiographical perspectives. Thus, the work on the contextualization of the historiographical ideas and problems of the multivolume work is far from finished. For example, a special elucidation of the specifics of the establishment of the Sobornist ideology on its pages seems to be promising. However, the most important task seems to be the need to synthesize current studies on individual parts of the "History of Ukraine-Rus" and prepare a general work on this monument, which should appear as a collective interdisciplinary project.
Source studies, historiography, methodology
M. Hrushevskyi, "History of Ukraine-Rus", modern Ukrainian historiography, reception
Copyright (c) 2024 Liubomyr Dutko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Where is the police?: large and small escapes of employees of the internal affairs organizations of the Ukrainian SSR in 1985–1991
Section: Original articles Keywords: perestoika, perebudova, Ukrainian SSR, police officers, Ministry of Internal Affairs, organized criminal groups The attempts to reform society from above, which the USSR leadership implemented, changed the place, role, and status of MVD employees in society. These were unplanned and unexpected changes that led to negative consequences for the security situation in the country. The purpose of this article is to analyze the social, political, and behavioral practices of ordinary police officers in the Ukrainian SSR in 1985–1991 and to study the changes in their motives and life scenarios during the rapid decline of the communist Soviet system.The methodological basis of the analysis is the concept of agency, applied through the analysis of archival sources, newspaper publications, and ego documents, which allow us to see police officers as subjects of political and social processes. Scientific novelty. The activities of the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Ukrainian SSR are examined as an important factor in the collapse of the communist system. Conclusions. Police officers were involved in numerous practices that did not lead to raising their authority in society. Despite the truly heroic deeds of a whole cohort of police officers of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, the reputation of the agency and ordinary police officers only tended to become more negative. On the other hand, the conditions for police officers' work got worse every year, and their workload got heavier. Trying to solve their financial and reputation problems, officers used different, sometimes totally opposite practices. Some of them continued to act according to the “old rules,” in which the police acted not as a law enforcement service, but as a purely repressive organization. Others demanded change and were ready to initiate it themselves: they created trade unions, left the Communist Party, and called for the depoliticization of the police. More and more police officers quit their jobs and looked for other, higher-paying work. Some of them, using their old corrupt connections, created or moved to work for cooperatives, some created or moved to work for private security firms, and a certain group strengthened organized criminal groups with their knowledge and experience.The collapse of the police as a repressive and law enforcement institution led to a steady increase in all types of crime and a feeling of complete insecurity among citizens.
perestoika, perebudova, Ukrainian SSR, police officers, Ministry of Internal Affairs, organized criminal groups
Copyright (c) 2025 Olena Stiazhkina https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The position of the People's Republic of China on the russian-ukrainian war: foreign policy concepts and strategic interests
Section: Original articles Keywords: cooperation, security, global initiatives, russian aggression, strategic dialogue The purpose of the article is to conduct a thorough analysis of China's foreign policy in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war in order to form a clear understanding of Beijing's motives regarding its position in relation to Russian aggression against Ukraine, to consider China's main foreign policy concepts and priorities, to clarify China's relations with Western countries and to develop recommendations for Ukraine in order to incline Beijing to a more pro-Ukrainian position. The research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and specifically historical (historical-genetic, historical-typological, historical-systemic) methods with the principles of historicism, systematicity, scientificity and verification. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the analysis and systematization of China's main foreign policy concepts, on the basis of which a generalized conclusion is made about the country's strategic foreign policy course and its position regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war. Conclusions. It is clarified that China is persistently implementing global initiatives, positioning itself as a responsible player on the world stage. In relation to the United States, Chinese leaders pursue a “big country” policy and try to talk with Washington on an equal footing. In relation to the Russian-Ukrainian war, Beijing takes a restrained position, avoiding criticism of the Russian Federation and demonstrating its commitment to international law. It is proven that China’s relations with the Russian Federation are strategic in nature, therefore Beijing is not interested in isolating moscow and imposing sanctions against it. It is found that China and Ukraine have strategic partnership relations and close trade relations. It is emphasized that relations between the two countries are important. In this context, a number of recommendations have been developed for the formation of a more pro-Ukrainian position of China.
cooperation, security, global initiatives, russian aggression, strategic dialogue
Copyright (c) 2026 Oleh Oliinyk, Oleksandr Marushchenko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Russian propaganda narratives against Ukraine: cognitive structure and strategic functions (2014–2025)
Section: Original articles Keywords: hybrid warfare, disinformation, cognitive operations, propaganda narratives, Russian propaganda, strategic communications The purpose of this article is to analyze key Russian propaganda narratives used as instruments of cognitive aggression against Ukraine in 2014–2025. The study focuses on identifying their functional purpose, ideological heritage, and role in legitimizing the Russian Federation's military aggression. The methodological basis of the publication is based on structural-analytical and comparative approaches, as well as the generalization of the results of published studies of Russian information campaigns in political, media, and diplomatic discourse. The scientific novelty of the work lies in its approach to Russian propaganda narratives as an integrated system of cognitive operations that shape the boundaries of perception, emotional reactions, and the logic of political decision-making, and makes it possible to trace their evolution and ideological continuity during 2014–2025. Conclusions. The article shows that basic Russian propaganda narratives (“Nazi regime”, “one people,” “illegitimate government,” “war with NATO,” inversion of guilt) form a stable semantic framework within which the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine is presented as necessary, morally justified, and historically determined. These narratives perform a number of complementary functions. These are the legitimization of violence, the mobilization of Russian society, the neutralization of the aggressor state's responsibility, and the disorientation of external audiences. All of the above narratives are systemic and reproducible. They draw on the ideological legacy of the Soviet and imperial periods and function as elements of the Russian Federation’s targeted cognitive operations. Beyond their immediate propaganda role, these narratives are intended to shape long-term patterns of perception and interpretation. In the context of hybrid warfare, they are used to influence political decision-making, public attitudes, and international responses.
hybrid warfare, disinformation, cognitive operations, propaganda narratives, Russian propaganda, strategic communications
Copyright (c) 2026 Вадим Беспека https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Commemorative coins of Ukraine (1999–2005) in the transformation of the memory discourse of the “Great Patriotic War”
Section: Original articles Keywords: visual narrative; decolonization of the memory space; “Great Patriotic War”; Second World War; compromise model of memory; Ukrainian commemorative coins The article examines the visual-semantic, iconographic, and textual codes of Ukrainian commemorative coins issued in 1999–2005 within the context of the transformation of the discourse of memory of the 1941–1945 war. The aim of the study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of Ukrainian commemorative coins of 1999–2005 as a numismatic source for identifying the mechanisms of inertial adaptation of the Soviet memorial narrative under the conditions of the formation of the state memory policy of independent Ukraine. In this context, the authors determine the institutional conditions of coin production and circulation, analyze their iconography and textual legends, identify the correlation between Soviet and Ukrainocentric semantic codes, and trace the dynamics of the transformation of the commemorative discourse of the “Great Patriotic War” during 1999–2005. The methodology and research methods are based on an interdisciplinary approach combining numismatic analysis, visual history, and historical memory studies (memory studies). The research employs methods of iconographic and stylistic analysis, semiotic analysis, discourse analysis of textual legends, as well as comparative-historical and contextual methods. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the analysis of Ukrainian commemorative coins of 1999–2005 as indicators of a transitional stage in state memory policy, which combined post-Soviet visual-semantic inertia with limited attempts at national semantic transformation. Conclusions. The article demonstrates that Ukrainian commemorative coins issued in 1999–2005 and dedicated to the events of the Second World War reflect the transitional and internally contradictory character of the state memory policy. They combine the new state identity of independent Ukraine with the continued use of familiar late Soviet images, symbols, and language used to describe the war.The study shows that attempts to make memory more national and more human-centered did not result in a complete break with the Soviet interpretation of the “Great Patriotic War,” but instead coexisted with it within a mixed, compromise model of commemoration. Commemorative coins of this period record not a consistent transformation, but rather the adaptation of the Soviet memorial tradition to the conditions of a formally independent state that had not yet fully freed itself from the Soviet symbolic legacy.
visual narrative; decolonization of the memory space; “Great Patriotic War”; Second World War; compromise model of memory; Ukrainian commemorative coins
Copyright (c) 2026 Oleksandr Potylchak, Olha Olha Perepeliuk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Transformation of organisational learning in the German Armed Forces: from the Imperial Army to the Bundeswehr (1914–2024)
Section: Original articles Keywords: organisational learning, lessons learned process, organisational (institutional) culture, German Armed Forces, Ukrainian Armed Forces, NATO The article aims to provide a historical and analytical overview of the development of organisational learning in the German Armed Forces from 1914 to 2024. The study covers four key periods: the First World War (1914–1918); the formation of the Reichswehr (1919–1935); the interwar and wartime evolution of the Wehrmacht (1935–1945); and the transformation of the Bundeswehr within NATO’s collective defence framework (1955–2024). The research methodology combines a heuristic approach with a historical reconstruction of the examined events. The source base includes scholarly and military publications, NATO doctrinal documents, and informational materials. The study applies a historical-systemic analysis of lessons learned capability based on a retrospective examination of its seven basic components: four “pillars” (organisational structure, process, tools, and personnel training); a key element (information sharing); and the foundational layer (mindset and leadership). The scientific novelty lies in the integrated comparative analysis of over a century of the German organisational learning model, including the identification and in-depth examination of its core components. The research highlights the main characteristics of institutional resilience and continuity within the German military organisational culture, which have ensured its capacity for systemic adaptation, innovation, and inheritance of best practices. Conclusions. The military-historical analysis of learning practices in German military organisations revealed key institutional and structural transformations, enabling an assessment of their effectiveness and alignment with contemporary approaches. The findings have practical and scholarly significance, providing a methodological foundation for enhancing the NATO-compatible Lessons Learned System of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The recommendations developed in the study can be applied to improve doctrinal documents, knowledge-management processes, and learning culture.
organisational learning, lessons learned process, organisational (institutional) culture, German Armed Forces, Ukrainian Armed Forces, NATO
Copyright (c) 2026 Yuriy Pashchuk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The position of the roman catholic church in Vinnytsia region in the late 1940s – early 1950s (based on reports of the regional council for religious affairs)
Section: Original articles Keywords: Roman Catholic Church, religious life, Council for Religious Affairs, Stalinist totalitarianism, Ukrainian SSR, Vinnytsia region The purpose of the study is to analyze, based on materials from the Vinnytsia branch of the Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the state of functioning of the Catholic denomination in the Vinnytsia region; to trace the specifics of relations between the authorities, the Catholic clergy, and parishioners; to determine to what extent Catholic believers in the postwar period were able to exercise their right to freedom of religion and what survival practices they adopted under the peak of Stalinist totalitarianism; and to characterize the sentiments of the faithful. The research methodology combines general scientific and historical methods, the main ones being generalization, problem-chronological, historical-systemic, and comparative-historical approaches. Considerable attention is given to statistical analysis in tracing the dynamics of the number of religious communities and to content analysis of the reports of the Commissioner of the Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR for the Vinnytsia region. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that, for the first time, archival materials of reports and analytical memoranda of the Commissioner of the Council for Religious Affairs for the Vinnytsia region have been introduced into scholarly circulation, allowing for an analysis of the state of the Catholic community in Vinnytsia region during 1945–1952. Conclusions. The activity of the Catholic Church in the Vinnytsia region during the postwar period was conditioned by several factors. In particular, the Nazi occupation had revived the life of religious communities, while the Stalinist regime—seeking both to consolidate the population of the USSR and to present itself favorably before the Allies in the anti-Hitler coalition—could not completely suppress the Catholic community’s activity. Compared to other Christian denominations in the region, Catholics in Vinnytsia faced perhaps the greatest pressure from the Stalinist regime. Their conduct under such harsh conditions amounted to a struggle for survival. They were forced to renounce their values, refrain from recognizing the supremacy of the Vatican, and accept Stalinist ideological claims about the “imperialist nature” of the Roman Pope’s policy. The authorities used various pretexts to divide and eliminate Catholic communities—such as the small number of parishioners, alleged anti-Soviet behavior, or “suspicious” ties with Western countries. The Stalinist regime also sought to deprive Catholics of access to sacred buildings, justifying it by the poor condition of churches, the supposed need to use them for economic or cultural-educational purposes, or the presence of another church “nearby.” Believers were also subjected to economic pressure, with strict monitoring of tax payments and the fulfillment of work quotas in collective farms. Thus, the authorities exerted severe pressure on the Catholic community of Vinnytsia region and aimed at its complete liquidation.
Roman Catholic Church, religious life, Council for Religious Affairs, Stalinist totalitarianism, Ukrainian SSR, Vinnytsia region
Copyright (c) 2026 Anatolii Voynarovskyi, Natalka Zhmud https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The activities of anti-Soviet emigration in the Prometheus organizationin 1928–1939
Section: Original articles Keywords: anti-Soviet emigration, the concept of Prometheism, Prometheism, Promethean movement, the organization «Prometheus», the «Prometheus» Club, J. Pilsudski, W. Pelc The purpose of the article is to analyze the activities of the Prometheus organization, which was established in Warsaw in 1928 and united non-Russian emigrants of the former Romanov Empire under Polish suzerainty. Its activities developed in line with the concept of Prometheism of the camp of J. Pilsudski, aimed at the dismemberment of the Soviet Union into separate national republics and their unification into a federation with Poland. Special attention in the context of the study is paid to the Ukrainian Petliura emigration, which was assigned the main role in the implementation of the concept of Prometheism. The research methodology is based on the use of general scientific and purely historical research methods, including problem-chronological and comparative-historical approaches. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that using the above methods, the activities of the branches of the Prometheus organization are revealed, in particular in Paris, Helsinki, Istanbul and Harbin. Analysis of the policy of J. Pilsudski and his associates, which was focused on uniting the efforts of anti-Soviet emigration, showed that it had a great-power character and was aimed at building a greater Poland “from sea to sea”. A necessary and sufficient condition for the implementation of these intentions was the liquidation of the USSR with its subsequent division into states semi-dependent on Poland. Thus, Ukraine, Crimea, Georgia, Azerbaijan and other republics were to arise on the national outskirts, united in a federation or confederation with Poland. It was envisaged that the territory of the USSR would be limited to the borders of the Moscow Kingdom of the 16th century. Conclusions. Thus, the Prometheus organization was founded with the aim of practical implementation of the Polish concept of Prometheism, which had a clearly expressed anti-Russian, anti-Soviet and anti-communist orientation. Its activities were carried out with the tacit support of the Polish special services, which developed strategies for using the national liberation movements of non-Russian peoples of the USSR in their own geopolitical interests. The ultimate goal of implementing this concept was the national-territorial dismemberment of the Soviet Union and the formation of the project of "Greater Poland", based on federal ties with Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Crimea and other republics. The policy of Prometheism envisaged the creation of a number of semi-independent national states on the ruins of the USSR with the further orientation of their development to the dominant interests of the Polish state. At the same time, one of the strategic mistakes of the ideologists of Prometheism was the overestimation of the internal weakness of the Soviet Union. The beginning of World War II actually stopped the implementation of Poland's Promethean plans.
anti-Soviet emigration, the concept of Prometheism, Prometheism, Promethean movement, the organization «Prometheus», the «Prometheus» Club, J. Pilsudski, W. Pelc
Copyright (c) 2026 Volodymyr Komar, Anatolii Shvab https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0