UKRAINE’S RESISTANCE AGAINST RUSSIA: A STRATEGIC CULTURE PERSPECTIVE

The concept of strategic culture is often used to explain Russiaâs decision to invade Ukraine, but its relevance to Ukraineâs resistance is largely overlooked. Neglecting the role the Ukrainian strategic culture has played in defying Russia underrates Ukraineâs agency and disregards the sources of i...

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Main Author: Dogachan Dagi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Estonian Academy Publishers 2025-05-01
Series:Trames
Subjects:
Online Access:https://kirj.ee/wp-content/plugins/kirj/pub/TRAMES-2-2025-133-150_20250514152521.pdf
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author Dogachan Dagi
author_facet Dogachan Dagi
author_sort Dogachan Dagi
collection DOAJ
description The concept of strategic culture is often used to explain Russiaâs decision to invade Ukraine, but its relevance to Ukraineâs resistance is largely overlooked. Neglecting the role the Ukrainian strategic culture has played in defying Russia underrates Ukraineâs agency and disregards the sources of its resilience. This article explores Ukrainian strategic culture as a key to understanding its response to Russiaâs advances since 2014. It argues that three interwoven characteristics of Ukrainian strategic culture, namely, its narrative of insecurity, commitment to sovereignty, and alignment with Western institutions, have shaped and sustained the Ukrainian resistance against Russia. Based on these defining features of Ukrainian strategic culture, this article asserts that Ukraineâs policy options are constrained not only by its physical capabilities but also by the ideational milieu created by its strategic culture.
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spelling doaj-art-245ccaf825094b6bacd6aaa232cec7d42025-08-20T03:49:32ZengEstonian Academy PublishersTrames1406-09221736-75142025-05-01292133150https://doi.org/10.3176/tr.2025.2.02https://doi.org/10.3176/tr.2025.2.02UKRAINE’S RESISTANCE AGAINST RUSSIA: A STRATEGIC CULTURE PERSPECTIVEDogachan Dagi0Department of Political Science and International Relations Baskent University Bağlıca Kampüsü Fatih Sultan Mahallesi Üniversite Caddesi No:42/1, postcode 06790, Etimesgut/ANKARA TurkeyThe concept of strategic culture is often used to explain Russiaâs decision to invade Ukraine, but its relevance to Ukraineâs resistance is largely overlooked. Neglecting the role the Ukrainian strategic culture has played in defying Russia underrates Ukraineâs agency and disregards the sources of its resilience. This article explores Ukrainian strategic culture as a key to understanding its response to Russiaâs advances since 2014. It argues that three interwoven characteristics of Ukrainian strategic culture, namely, its narrative of insecurity, commitment to sovereignty, and alignment with Western institutions, have shaped and sustained the Ukrainian resistance against Russia. Based on these defining features of Ukrainian strategic culture, this article asserts that Ukraineâs policy options are constrained not only by its physical capabilities but also by the ideational milieu created by its strategic culture.https://kirj.ee/wp-content/plugins/kirj/pub/TRAMES-2-2025-133-150_20250514152521.pdfukrainestrategic culturerussia-ukraine warukrainian foreign and security policy
spellingShingle Dogachan Dagi
UKRAINE’S RESISTANCE AGAINST RUSSIA: A STRATEGIC CULTURE PERSPECTIVE
Trames
ukraine
strategic culture
russia-ukraine war
ukrainian foreign and security policy
title UKRAINE’S RESISTANCE AGAINST RUSSIA: A STRATEGIC CULTURE PERSPECTIVE
title_full UKRAINE’S RESISTANCE AGAINST RUSSIA: A STRATEGIC CULTURE PERSPECTIVE
title_fullStr UKRAINE’S RESISTANCE AGAINST RUSSIA: A STRATEGIC CULTURE PERSPECTIVE
title_full_unstemmed UKRAINE’S RESISTANCE AGAINST RUSSIA: A STRATEGIC CULTURE PERSPECTIVE
title_short UKRAINE’S RESISTANCE AGAINST RUSSIA: A STRATEGIC CULTURE PERSPECTIVE
title_sort ukraine s resistance against russia a strategic culture perspective
topic ukraine
strategic culture
russia-ukraine war
ukrainian foreign and security policy
url https://kirj.ee/wp-content/plugins/kirj/pub/TRAMES-2-2025-133-150_20250514152521.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT dogachandagi ukrainesresistanceagainstrussiaastrategiccultureperspective