Institutional and socio-psychological determinants of the delinquency of ruscism in the war against Ukraine

Abstract

The research relevance of the institutional and socio-psychological determinants of ruscism delinquency in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine is determined by the unprecedented scale of crimes against humanity committed by the Russian occupants. The study aimed to provide a comprehensive coverage of the historical, political, ideological, legal, propaganda and socio-psychological factors that determine the criminal behaviour of the invaders. The main findings of the study showed that the crimes of ruscism are not isolated excesses of individual perpetrators, but a natural outgrowth and quintessence of the centuries-old tradition of Russian imperialism, which over a long historical period systematically violated the fundamental norms of international law, disregarded basic human rights and cynically despised the values of civilised coexistence of peoples. The delinquency of ruscism has deep historical roots, going back to the centuries-old tradition of territorial expansion, political despotism and unpunished state terror that have defined the character of the Russian state for centuries. The current manifestations of racist crime are an organic and natural extension of the neo-imperial paradigm of the “Russian world”, which is based on great-power chauvinism, outright contempt for the sovereignty and identity of other nations and justifies Moscowʼs right to dominate neighbouring nations. A decisive role in generating massive public support for the aggressive war against Ukraine was determined by the Kremlinʼs powerful and extensive propaganda machine, which, through controlled media and public discourse, systematically demonised and dehumanised the Ukrainian people and legitimised any atrocities and crimes against humanity in the eyes of Russians under the cynical pretext of “protecting the Russian-speaking population”