Biographical Narratives and Routines of Putin's Russia in the Context of the Ukraine Crisis

• Published in: Alınteri Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 57 - 81
• Main Authors: Kavuncu, Ayşe, Faye, Malang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kastamonu Üniversitesi 2023; Kastamonu University
• Subjects: Military history; Ontology; Political history; Rhetoric; Russian Aggression against Ukraine; Security and defense; Sociology; Ontological Security; Ukraine Crisis; Offensive Realism; Russia; Neoeurasianism
• ISSN: 2564-6583

The article argues that Russia's decision to initiate an attack on Ukraine in February 2022 was an inevitable move for both its material and ontological security. By adopting an offensive stance and directly engaging in a conflict with a former Soviet country, Russia transformed the ongoing tension with the West into a full-fledged confrontation. At this juncture, the article primarily emphasizes that Russia's assault on Ukraine has solidified its "anti-Western" rhetoric, which serves as a crucial pillar of its ontological security. However, it asserts that while this aggression bolstered the anti-Western discourse to some extent, it also harmed Russia's ontological security in terms of other biographical narratives and routines. In essence, the article examines the historical development of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and delves beyond the concrete steps taken, exploring the dangers posed by such aggressive behavior to Russia's ontological security, particularly with regard to its biographical narratives and routines. Within this framework, the article posits that Russia's ontological security relies on contemporary biographical narratives and routines rooted in the discourse of the “continuing state”, "strong state", sovereign democracy," "anti-Westernism," "anti-globalism," and "neo-Eurasianism.".