VALUE CONTEXT OF SEARCH BY UKRAINIANS FOR CULPRITS OF THE ONGOING WAR IN DONBAS

Abstract

The article analyzes the results of an all-Ukrainian psycho-semantic survey of 1,199 respondents conducted as a part of the political and semantic monitoring of mass political consciousness in February 2021. The questionnaire, in particular, contained statements of value content and a list of possible culprits of the ongoing war in Donbas. Citizens mostly recognize the Russian government, led by Putin, as the main culprit. Such blaming is psychologically opposed by attributing blame to the Ukrainian authorities. Based on the correlation of assessments of value content statements and the choice of culprits, it is found that pro-Ukrainian respondents are more active in blaming: the Russian government led by Putin compared to the Ukrainian government led by Zelenskyi or Poroshenko; Zelenskyi and the government headed by him in comparison with Poroshenko and his government; Russia and its citizens; residents of Donbas; and citizens of all Ukraine compared to residents of Western Ukraine. The attitude to market economic reforms turned out to be less fundamental, but also significant. Their supporters blame: Putin's power more than Poroshenko's power; Zelenskyi's power more than Putin's one; oligarchs and the mafia; Russia and its citizens; and residents of Donbas. There are two aspects of the assessment of Russian citizens. On the one hand, the respondents blame Russian citizens while identifying them with the Russian authorities and the state, and on the other hand, they unite with them in joint opposition to the oligarchs and the mafia. Pro-Russian attitudes are more likely to be hidden behind the evasive answers about the culprits. There is a low propensity of citizens to political self-blame and attempts to get rid of or not gain guilt. A tendency to unite innocent or less guilty "own", contrasting them with more guilty "strangers" is revealed: Zelenskyi and Poroshenko versus Putin; residents of Donbas versus the United States, Europe and NATO; and citizens of all Ukraine versus residents of Western Ukraine. The presence in the space of accusations not only of a value but also of a purely emotional context lay down the potential opportunities for political-ideological and situational manipulations of the corresponding sentiments.