FOUNDATIONS OF STUDENT YOUTH’S PATRIOTISM IN THE CONTEXT OF CONFRONTATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE WEST IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to determine the assessments and ideas of young people about the importance of the value foundations of Russian patriotism in the context of the confrontation between Russia and the West during the Northeast Military District in Ukraine. In the course of the study, the value foundations of patriotism of student youth in the North Caucasus were measured, the compatibility of value systems was identified depending on ethnic and religious affiliation, attitude towards military operations in Ukraine, and the role of the traditional value foundations of patriotism was determined. The results of a survey of 1,400 university students in the North Caucasus are analyzed. The study showed that the confrontation with the “collective West” has become a dividing line between those who support and do not support the state's policy to ensure the country's sovereignty and security. The criterion of support for military operations conducted by Russia in order to ensure sovereignty and security makes it possible to determine the degree of significance of the value foundations of Russian patriotism. The vast majority of respondents share traditional patriotic values. There is a group of young people who are more focused on modern individualistic attitudes. There was a high level of concern about the increased threats associated with military confrontation, such as terrorism and extremism, hostilities in Ukraine, growing isolation and sanctions against Russia. The most important values of patriotism in the views of respondents are socially significant activities, love for the motherland, preservation of historical truth and Russian culture, pride in Russia and readiness to defend the country. Ethnic and confessional differences have little effect on the level of youth patriotism. Significant variability was revealed in assessments and ideas about the importance of patriotic values between religious and non-religious young people. Support for military action among non-religious respondents is lower than among Orthodox and Muslims. The attitude towards the military conflict has become a marker of the value and worldview differences between the traditionalists (collectivists-statesmen) and modernists (individualists).

Keywords:

values, Russian patriotism, military conflict, North Caucasus, polyethnicity, polyconfessionality