Unfortunately, there are currently no indications that the war will end soon, and there is also uncertainty whether the occupation of Ukraine is the sole goal of Russian occupiers in Europe. In such circumstances, it is strategically important to strengthen the resilience and defense capabilities of both the Ukrainian army and the united Europe and countries of the "bright side of life" that can resist, ensuring effective security mechanisms for Ukraine and the world.

Resilience of Ukrainian Soldiers: An Invisible Barrier Between Aggressive Russia and Peaceful Europe

By the time Russia launched its full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the war had been raging for eight years. However, the world community began to speak out loudly about it only after February 24, 2022, when Russia attacked Ukraine along the entire length of the shared border, from the territory of Belarus and occupied Crimea. At that time, the world's attention was riveted to our country, and in the first few days of heroic resistance by the Ukrainian people and army, it became clear that the planned swift capture of Ukraine was impossible. The Russian attack continues to this day, and Ukrainian soldiers demonstrate tremendous courage and dedication to their country, defending its independence. Overcoming fear, they remain steadfast in the face of adversity – this resilience and courage of Ukrainian soldiers has become an invisible barrier between belligerent Russia and Europe.

Unfortunately, there are currently no indications that the war will end soon, and there is also no certainty that the occupation of Ukraine is the sole goal of the Russian occupiers. In such circumstances, it is strategically important to strengthen the resilience and defense capabilities of both the Ukrainian army and the united Europe and countries of the "bright side of life" that can effectively resist, providing effective security mechanisms for Ukraine and the world. In this regard, scientific research related to the army and the principles of its effectiveness in confrontational conditions becomes particularly important. The Ukrainian army, which has already withstood the onslaught of a powerful enemy and continues to resist it in absolutely asymmetric conditions, becomes the focus of attention and the object of scientific analysis.

In War, a New Type of Army Is Forged

The longer the war with Russia continues, the more apparent it becomes that a new type of army is being forged in the conflict. The Ukrainian army is currently undergoing a significant transformation. Taking into account the post-Soviet legacy, it can be argued that this transformation is impressive in both form and substance. A considerable number of separation processes have already taken place, meaning that the system is transforming according to new tasks and challenges, in line with the Ukrainian mentality and the necessity for survival.

A lion's share of a successful strategy is rapid adaptation to new conditions, meaning that the very necessity for the survival of our state, nation, and people has contributed to the army's departure from the Soviet system towards something new – its own. And these significant changes in structure and tactics are key to effectively waging war, especially in conditions of acute combat clashes with an adversary whose army is significantly "more powerful" and built on the same "Soviet standards."

The Ukrainian army, bearing the heavy burden of war for a prolonged period, actively utilizes methods and methodologies that are already successfully employed in the armies of Europe and the United States. However, the adaptation of these methods becomes necessary because the conditions of modern warfare and the peculiarities of the Ukrainian people require refinement and indigenous solutions.

Approaching this process with full responsibility, Ukraine has the task of implementing best practices, adapting them to its own Ukrainian context.

Psychological Resilience: Influencing Factors and Factors for Restoration

The relevance of discussing the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the modern context has become an integral part of the global discourse. This is driven not only by the military events in Ukraine but also by a number of significant factors, among which the psychological aspect deserves special attention. The question of how the Ukrainian army managed to withstand such a powerful onslaught of the enemy in conditions of limited resources in a full-scale conflict provides material for careful analysis and study. Psychological resilience and the strategies of the AFU in wartime situations are increasingly becoming the focus of heightened interest for military strategists as well as researchers. The conduct of war in Ukraine will influence several aspects and approaches to military strategy on an international scale.

Currently, work is underway on an international expert article regarding how approaches to rehabilitation in the military should change under the influence of the war in Ukraine. The article is being prepared by military leaders from several countries worldwide, including the involvement of the Ukrainian side. Vladyslav Viktorovych Klochkov, a Ukrainian military officer, major general, who has been heading the Main Department of Moral and Psychological Support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2021, will present the developments expected from a year and a half of work, which took place even during the full-scale invasion, to be included in this expert article.

From the Ukrainian perspective, the information for the article will highlight the issue of psychological resilience: influencing factors and factors that can restore it. Specifically, stress factors affecting military personnel in areas of active combat operations will be considered, such as spatial limitations, uncertainty of the duration of combat missions, constant informational influence from the enemy, changes in weather conditions, staying in the same social environment, enemy firepower, and the absence of full recovery, among others. The information will also cover descriptions of manifestations of the negative impact of stress and factors for stabilizing the psycho-emotional state. For instance, morale is defined as a key component that shapes the combat spirit of military personnel. Its role is outlined as "the main factor that provides driving force." Morale is formed based on Ukrainian cultural values and underscores the importance of considering societal and ethical aspects in shaping and maintaining combat spirit in the context of military operations.

The Relevance of Publications by Ukrainian Experts in Psychology and Military Training

Martha Pyvovarenko, an advocate for the NGO "Self-Help Communities," who has long been involved not only in the topic of psychological rehabilitation of Ukrainian servicemen according to global standards but also in advocating for Ukraine as a whole, raises an extremely acute issue of the relevance of scientific publications by Ukrainian experts in psychology and military training today. Martha notes that Ukrainian developments and research, particularly in the field of military psychology, are interesting and necessary for the world but are often identified as Russian at the international level. Such unacceptable "generalization" can lead to misunderstandings and compromise the objectivity of assessing, particularly, the effectiveness of the use of funds allocated by the American government for military psychology and the needs of the Ukrainian army. Martha Pyvovarenko emphasizes the importance of the correct presentation of scientific research and information about military psychology in Ukraine at the international level for a proper understanding and evaluation of activities in this area.

A joint discussion, including on this important topic for Ukraine, took place at an international meeting organized by Martha Pyvovarenko in December 2023. Representatives from the USA and Ukraine had the opportunity to communicate at the meeting, including Katya Koltsio, a doctor of somatics, director of the Allbritton Center, and associate professor of dance, environment, ecological studies, Eastern European and Eurasian studies at Wesleyan University, and Major General Vladyslav Viktorovych Klochkov, head of the Main Department of Moral and Psychological Support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This meeting included a discussion on the relevance of publishing research by Ukrainian experts in psychology and military training.

Two articles, at minimum, demonstrate the relevance of this issue. The first publication (https://mwi.westpoint.edu/its-time-to-ukrainify-us-military-assistance/) reveals a growing awareness that military training (including moral and psychological preparation) in Ukraine is more advanced than existing Western approaches. Ukrainian methodologies, theories, models, and research need publication for a global audience:

"In particular, American military, as the primary provider of support to Ukrainian forces, repeats the mistakes of Afghanistan and Iraq. Instead of adapting training methods and goals to the realities of the battlefield in Ukraine, American bureaucracy acts as if Ukrainians are fighting a war in the typical American style. There is a growing recognition that this training is insufficient. Our observations, including at training facilities in Europe and on-site in Ukrainian combat zones as part of the Minerva research project funded by the US Department of Defense, point to a more serious shortfall: NATO instructors, including those from the United States, typically teach Ukrainian soldiers to fight like American soldiers. Ukrainian soldiers, whom we surveyed, find value in US training and combat drills but are disillusioned with military doctrine and training focused on maneuvering. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are fighting in the context of Russian (and now Ukrainian) continuous deep defense, which exceeds the experience of most American instructors."

The second article, "Global science demands more equity, diversity, and cultural precision - Psychological Science Association" (https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/gs-equity-diversity-cultural-precision), indicates a lack of research from Ukraine published in international psychological journals.

It is worth noting that a shocking revelation of this publication is that in the field of "global psychology" - including cognitive, psychological, and other subfields of psychology - Ukrainian and other post-Soviet countries continue to be classified as "Russian research" (the text was published in August 2023 by the American Psychological Association!):

"We analyzed all empirical studies published in major scientific journals on development (Child Development, Developmental Psychology, Developmental Science, Infant and Child Development, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology) over a 10-year period (2011–2021). We coded the data collection sites for 3 million participants, as shown in Figures 1a and 1b (see maps in the article). In 2011 and 2021, there was a clear concentration of samples in the United States, followed by regions of Western Europe."

These two articles demonstrate the urgent need for recognition and dissemination of Ukrainian research in the global scientific community, especially in the field of military psychology, to ensure accurate understanding and assessment of Ukraine's activities in this area.

The activity of Community Self-Help NGO is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is supported by ISAR Ednannia within the Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity implemented by ISAR Ednannia in partnership with