Strategic communications as an instrument for reaching the capacities of the defense forces of Ukraine

Присяжнюк С. В. Гуманітарна політика України як чинник протистояння інформаційній агресії Російської Федерації : дис. ... доктора філософії : 052 Політологія. Київ, 2025. 222 с.

Prysiazhniuk S. V. «Strategic communications as an instrument for reaching the capacities of the defense forces of Ukraine» – Qualification scientific work on the rights of the manuscript.
Dissertation submitted for obtaining PhD in the field of study 05 «Social and Behavioral Sciences» on the specialty 052 «Political Science». – Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. – Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, 2025.
The dissertation research is focused on a comprehensive political science analysis of the issues of humanitarian policy implementation, determining its role and place in the system of information security of Ukraine, and providing prospective ways to improve the existing system of humanitarian policy of Ukraine in the context of countering the information aggression of the Russian Federation.
The first part of this research includes an analytical review of the current scientific literature on the subject matter of the study, and three approaches to the definition of the concept of “humanitarian policy” are identified and summarized: institutional, national, and global. This section describes the author's interpretation of the essence and content of Ukraine's humanitarian policy as a factor in countering the information aggression of the Russian Federation. It outlines the principles and political and legal framework for its implementation. It is determined that the implementation of the state humanitarian policy is carried out not only by state bodies but also by civil society through the activities of public organizations. In this context, humanitarian policy should focus on consolidating the state's and the public's potential in ensuring information security at both the individual and the public levels.
The second part is devoted to the study of organizational and functional tools for the formation of humanitarian policy, which includes a set of state mechanisms and institutions aimed at protecting national identity and information security. This section also establishes that one of the most effective elements for implementing humanitarian policy is the system of strategic communications, which allows public authorities to implement a comprehensive communication strategy through the development of strategic narratives. The author's vision of the sequence of identifying and responding to information threats to the state's humanitarian policy is proposed, which includes the following stages: monitoring, decision-making, crisis planning, narrativization of humanitarian policy, communication, crisis recovery, and efficiency evaluation. The peculiarities of the implementation of humanitarian policy in the security and defense sector of Ukraine are determined, consisting of a combination of information, educational, and cultural activities with defense strategies to augment national resilience and counter hybrid threats. The implementation of humanitarian policy within the framework of national security and defense requires that Ukraine coordinate the work of state institutions, adapt management decisions to wartime conditions, actively communicate with international organizations, and protect Ukrainian identity, principles of democracy, social equality, and human rights.
The third part substantiates the peculiarities of approaches to the development of civil identity as a priority task of humanitarian policy in wartime. It is emphasized that with the beginning of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, an important condition for the formation of civil identity as a priority task of humanitarian policy was the enhancement of the humanitarian resilience of society and the state as well. Also in this part of the study, the author concludes that the establishment of conditions for active participation of citizens in the political process is a key element in solving the problem of civil identity. The basic features of planning measures for the implementation of humanitarian policy as a factor in counteracting current and future information threats of the Russian Federation are presented in a systematic form. The integral result of this section is the author's recommendations for improving the prompt response mechanism and threat anticipation as a component of countering current and future information threats of the Russian Federation, as well as suggestions for improving the efficiency of planning measures for the implementation of Ukraine's humanitarian policy.
For the first time in Ukrainian political science, the main approaches to the definition of “humanitarian policy” are summarized, and the author's definition of the concept and nature of Ukraine's humanitarian policy as a factor in countering the information aggression of the Russian Federation is proposed.
It outlines the fundamental aspects of planning measures for the implementation of humanitarian policy to counter current and future information threats of the Russian Federation, which include: development of long-term communication strategies, development of own information platforms and technological solutions for identifying, developing effective counter-narratives and eliminating threats of information influence of enemy; ensuring institutional coordination between state institutions, media, civil society and international partners for comprehensive counteraction to information threats; establishing a system for monitoring, analyzing, and operationally responding to information threats from the Russian Federation as well as anticipating them; introducing active educational programs aimed at developing critical thinking and media awareness; integrating into global initiatives on information security and humanitarian resilience, taking into account the best practices of NATO and the EU.
The political and legal framework for the implementation of the state humanitarian policy of Ukraine during the military conflict with Russia is clarified, which includes a number of key principles and mechanisms to enhance information security and protect the rights of citizens, the main elements of which are: improving the legislative framework of the state in the sphere of information policy to protect national interests in the humanitarian sphere, in particular, the implementation of measures to counter cyberattacks and disinformation within the framework of the Law of Ukraine “On National Security of Ukraine”, measures to counteract cyberattacks and disinformation; deepening state policy to protect the Ukrainian language, culture and historical memory, support Ukrainian filmmaking, literature and art, which is important for strengthening national consciousness and resistance to Russian cultural expansion; implementing programs to disseminate reliable information, actively using digital platforms to counter fakes and Russian propaganda; adapting Ukrainian legislation to international humanitarian law standards to protect citizens that are under occupation or in the areas of military actions.
It is clarified that the organizational and functional set of tools for the formation of humanitarian policy as a factor in counteracting Russian information aggression includes several state mechanisms and institutions, in particular: information security, capable of preventing and restricting access to Russian propaganda resources and utilizing strategic communications to disseminate national narratives against potential influences from the aggressor; educational and cultural programs on patriotic education aimed at strengthening national consciousness; humanitarian sustainability - the ability of state authorities and civil society to resist information aggression in the humanitarian sphere and ensure the survival of the state in a crisis; coordination of following institutions as the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, and the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting in the development of a strategy in terms of culture and media.
The regulation on the special aspects of the implementation of humanitarian policy in the security and defense sector of Ukraine was further developed, with the following perspective mechanisms: strengthening the ideological and patriotic component in the educational programs for training military specialists in higher military educational institutions and military units of higher education institutions of Ukraine; conducting trainings on information awareness and countering enemy information and psychological operations for representatives of the Ukrainian defense forces; utilizing cultural events to strengthen solidarity among the population and enhance morale in the military; developing psychological recovery programs for the military, veterans, and their families, and providing them with social guarantees.
Another development of the concept of peculiarities of approaches to the formation of civil identity as a priority task of humanitarian policy in wartime is the concentration of national humanitarian policy on the following key aspects: strengthening the value and ideological basis for the establishment of Ukrainian national identity as a basic element of civil consciousness; strengthening the institutional, information and communication capabilities of the state in countering the destructive information influence of Russian propaganda; supporting the military and volunteers as role models of civil responsibility: promoting the image of the defender as a symbol of civil duty and national dignity; protecting national symbols, language, culture, and historical heritage as the main elements of identity that unite society.