Appropriation of Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage as a Legitimization of Russia’s Imperial Aspirations

In the face of Russian military aggression in the Donbas and after the annexation of Crimea (2014) and in view of the full-scale war in Ukraine that commenced in 2022, the Russian appropriation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage has become particularly important, as it should be remembered that Russia's attack not only has a military dimension but is also aimed at Ukrainian national and historical heritage. The appropriation of Ukraine's cultural heritage in the context of the legitimization of Russia's imperial aspirations has become a research interest for an international and interdisciplinary group of researchers, resulting in the co-authored monograph. The monograph was preceded by a series of research seminars conducted at the Jagiellonian University (Kraków, Poland) with the participation of researchers at the National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Kyjiv, Ukraine). The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy is unencumbered by Soviet heritage and continues the traditions of the famous Kyiv Academy (17th century), remaining a respected and prestigious scientific centre. This monograph was produced in collaboration with international experts representing various fields and contains analysis of specific examples of the appropriation of Ukraine's cultural heritage, its use by Russia for propaganda purposes, and Ukraine's attempts to reclaim the narrative about this heritage.

Aniela Radicka is a university teacher and researcher at the Department of Polish-Ukrainian Studies, Faculty of International and Political Studies, Jagiellonian University. She holds a PhD in literary studies from the University of Wrocław, Poland (2021). She earned her MA degree in international relations studies (2014) and MA in cultural studies (2014), both from Jagiellonian University (Kraków, Poland). She specialises in Ukrainian contemporary women’s prose, gender studies in Eastern European context (particularly in Ukraine), women's literary (auto)biography in cultural, social and political contexts, national identity building in post-1991 Ukraine and the role of women in it.

Alicja Z. Nowak is a Ukrainian Philologist, Habilitated Doctor of Humanities, Professor of Jagiellonian University, and Head of the Department of Polish-Ukrainian Studies Faculty of International and Political Science of Jagiellonian University in Kraków. Her research focusses on the history of Kyivan Metropolitanate and on cultural phenomena that are part of the so-called Church renewal of Eastern Churches in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. She is the author of sixty articles and books on the cultural heritage of Eastern churches in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. She is also co-editor of ten monographs and thematic issues of journals.