TERRORIST METHODS IN RUSSIA'S ARMED AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE (USING THE EXAMPLE OF KHARKIV)
Abstract
The essence of the phenomenon of terrorism has been considered, highlighting its key features through the prism of current events in Ukraine and Kharkiv in particular. The features inherent not only to terrorism, but also to other phenomena of socio-political violence have been emphasised. These features have been determined and the specifics of terrorist activity have been separated from the related phenomena.
Attention has been paid to the establishment of the subject of terrorism as one of the most manipulative issues. It has also been indicated that there are multiple objects of influence as the main feature that characterizes terrorist activity. Namely, the presence of two objects of influence: the object of physical violence and the object of psychological pressure, which do not coincide, since they are components of the mechanism of indirect influence on the final object in order to force it to make a certain decision or take certain actions. The socio-political component of the phenomenon of terrorism is highlighted, which consists in the socio-political context of the emergence and spread of terrorism, the presence of a certain social base and goals related to making certain political decisions. The definition of the phenomenon of terrorism has been suggested.
Using these and other features, the appropriateness of using the term "terrorism" to characterize violent actions in Ukraine during the modern war period has been determined. The activity that has the main features of terrorism has been established. The logic of the emergence and spread of terrorist activity on the territory of Ukraine, such as bombings, arsons, aimed at destabilizing the situation within the country, reducing the authority of the authorities, reducing the unity of the population in resisting military aggression has been determined. The dependence of the activities of terrorists is noted. The terrorist component of the russian-Ukrainian war is presented using the example of events in the city of Kharkiv as a border city.
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References
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Dulyaba, Natalia. 2025. A Russian agent who made explosives to blow up a military base was exposed in Kharkiv. .Portal.lviv.ua 14.03. URL: https://portal.lviv.ua/news/2025/03/14/u-kharkovi-vykryly-rosijsku-ahentku-iaka-zrobyla-vybukhivku-dlia-pidryvu-vijskovoho (in Ukrainian).
SBU neutralized a combat group of the Russian GRU in Kharkiv. 18.11.2024 URL: https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/gotuvali-terakti-v-harkovi-sbu-zneshkodila-boyovu-grupu-rosiyskogo-gru-novini-ukrajini-50467261.html (in Ukrainian).
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