Russia’s war against Ukraine is taking place not only on the battlefield, but also in the humanitarian and information spheres. One of the areas of this struggle is historical policy. During a public discussion at UCMC’s Press Center, journalists, historians and representatives of the Zaporizhzhia community told how Russian propaganda has been constructing myths about the region’s past for decades – and how these myths still affect the perception of the present.
Mythology of the empire: how the “Russian” past was imposed in Zaporizhzhia
What does the imperial history of Zaporizhzhia consist of, and why does it still sound louder than the real one?
This issue was brought up during the discussion by Ms. Tetyana Kolosova, head of UCMC Press Center. She noted that one of the most persistent Russian myths is about the “novorussian” past of southern Ukraine.
“The myth that this territory was supposedly uninhabited, “developed” by the Russian empire is part of the colonial discourse that has been imposed for decades. And it is still alive because it is repeated at all levels – from school textbooks to television series,” she emphasized.
Propaganda yesterday and today: the same rhetoric – new goals
Ms. Inessa Atamanchuk, a journalist at the MIG periodical, drew attention to the repetition of rhetorical clichés familiar from Soviet times.
“Even then there was a clear line: Zaporizhzhia was an industrial center built thanks to the ‘friendship of nations’ and the ‘titanic work of the Soviet people’. But the place of Ukrainian culture was marginalized. As if it had never existed here.”
Ms. Atamanchuk noted that in modern Russian propaganda this narrative has been transformed: now it justifies military aggression by saying that Russia is allegedly “taking back what is theirs.”
History as a weapon: why it is important to debunk myths now
According to Ms. Natalia Zvorygina, editor-in-chief of Zaporiz’ka Pravda, the lack of a critical view of history is a direct path to manipulation.
“Propaganda works when people do not have the tools to analyze it. If we don’t talk about the true history of our region, if we don’t form a culture of memory, we leave the field for foreign interpretations,” she emphasized.
Myths are not only the past, but also an instrument of contemporary politics
Mr. Pavlo Kravchuk, chief specialist of the culture and tourism department of Zaporizhzhia City Council, drew attention to the fact that historical fakes affect not only the perception of the past, but also the support or rejection of current events.
“The spreading of the image of ‘great Russia liberating the fraternal people’ is based on a false history. And we see how it is used to justify the war.”
What can resist historical manipulation?
Ms. Oksana Horobtsova, a communications specialist at Caritas Zaporizhzhia, believes that the key to resistance is the joint work of educators, media, and civil society organizations.
“We must have our own truth, supported by facts, sources, and historical heritage. And this truth should be told loudly – through books, films, lessons in schools and materials in the media,” she said.
History is our defense
The discussion at UCMC Press Center demonstrated that the war for historical memory is not a metaphor, but a reality. When myths become tools of war, the truth must be armed with facts, research, and the resolute word.
