Abstract
The 2022 Russia–Ukraine War raises fundamental questions about soldiers’ “will to fight” and the applicability of the post-heroic soldier concept. The article delves deep into the role of the “moral component” in this conflict and offers initial insights into its significance in modern armies. Our examination seeks to understand the dynamics of motivation, military education, belief systems, and strategic narratives. In this context, we conduct a preliminary analysis of Ukrainian forces’ morale, emphasizing its use in framing the war as a “people’s war” for mobilization. In addition, we broadly explore reports on the “moral crisis” within the Russian Armed Forces, examining the nuanced boundaries between morale, morality, and propaganda.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
- 2.
The following discussion is based on the full video of Khodaryonok published by the BBC journalist Scarr (16 May 2022).
- 3.
For the dominance and the criticism on this theory, see: Strachan (2006).
- 4.
Quoted in: Department of the Army (1984: 2).
- 5.
- 6.
Although the attitude of Russian troops towards Ukraine is rather blurred, a special 2015 report by Reuters portrayed a deep morale crisis supporting Johannesson claims (Tsvetkova, 10 May 2015).
- 7.
- 8.
In this context see Forest (2021).
References
Adamsky D (30 April 2022) Russia botched its early war propaganda campaign, but now it’s doubling down. Foreign Policy
Applebaum A (10 Aug 2022) The other Ukrainian army. The Atlantic
Banda Agency (27 Oct 2014) Ukrainian armed forces each of us. Retrieved 25 Aug 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOCbW1hc6Ng
Barranco J (n.d.) Lesson for military operations: Equipment doesn’t win wars. People do. Atlantic Council. Retrieved 5 Sept 2022 https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/six-months-twenty-three-lessons-what-the-world-has-learned-from-russias-war-in-ukraine/
Brown C (18 March 2022) Famous for towing captured Russian tanks, Ukrainian farmers step up for war effort. CBC News. Retrieved 26 Aug 2022 https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukraine-farmers-1.6387964
Cliffe J (26 Feb 2022) The exemplary resilience of Volodymyr Zelensky. New Statesmen. Retrieved 28 Aug 2022 https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/ukraine/2022/02/the-exemplary-resilience-of-volodymyr-zelensky
Cohen EA (1 March 2022) Cometh the hour, Cometh the man. The Atlantic. Retrieved 25 Aug 2022 https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/putin-ukraine-invasion-military-strategy/622956/
Connable B et al (2019) Will to fight: returning to the human fundamentals of war. RAND Corporation, Washington DC
Daucé F et al (eds) (2006) Dedovshchina in the post-soviet military: hazing of Russian army conscripts in a comparative perspective. Ibidem-Verlag, Hanover
Department of the Army (1984) The soviet army: operations and tactics. Headquarter of the Department of the Army, Washington DC
Department of Defense (1 March 2022) Senior defense official holds a background briefing. U.S. Department of Defense Website. Retrieved 25 Aug 2022 https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2950497/senior-defense-official-holds-a-background-briefing/
Druk D (2022) Two weeks after the invasion: thoughts on the war in Ukraine. Ma’arachot. Retrieved 5 Sept 2022 https://www.maarachot.idf.il/2022/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%94-%D7%9E%D7%97%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%91%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%94/ [Hebrew]
DW (12 Dec 2019) Russian TV abruptly pulls Zelenskiy’s sitcom after cutting Putin joke. DW Website. Retrieved 6 Sept 2022 https://www.dw.com/en/russian-tv-abruptly-pulls-zelenskiys-sitcom-after-cutting-putin-joke/a-51649514
Ellyatt H (18 May 2022) ‘The whole world is against us’: Russian military analyst gives damning assessment of Ukraine war on state TV. CNBC. Retrieved 4 Sept 2022 https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/russia-military-veteran-khodaryonok-in-damning-assessment-of-ukraine-war.html
Finch RC (July–Aug 2020) Ensuring the political loyalty of the Russian soldier. Military Rev:52–67
Fiscutean A (6 May 2022) Ukrainian tractors vs. Russian tanks: the hundred-year history behind the meme. Grid. Retrieved 26 Aug 2022 https://www.grid.news/story/ukraine-russia/2022/05/06/ukrainian-tractors-vs-russian-tanks-the-hundred-year-history-behind-the-meme/
Forest JJF (2021) Political warfare and propaganda: an introduction. Adv Milit Stud 12(1):13–33
GCHQ (31 March 2022) Director GCHQ’s speech on global security amid war in Ukraine. GCHQ Website. Retrieved 25 Aug 2022 https://www.gchq.gov.uk/speech/director-gchq-global-security-amid-russia-invasion-of-ukraine
Halbertal M (2021) Morality and will to fight. Lecture to IDF’s Northern Command.
Heinrich J, Adam S (5 Feb 2022) Gen. Milley says Kyiv could fall within 72 hours. Fox News. Retrieved 28 Aug 2022 https://www.foxnews.com/us/gen-milley-says-kyiv-could-fall-within-72-hours-if-russia-decides-to-invade-ukraine-sources
Hoffman F (2007) Conflict in the 21st century: the rise of hybrid wars. The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, Arlington VA
Johannesson J (2020) The critical role of morale in Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion. Open J Soc Sci 8(6):252–260
Khodaryonok M (3 Feb 2022) Prognostications of bloodthirsty political scientists. Heзaвиcимaя гaзeтa. Retrieved 19 May 2022 https://nvo.ng.ru/realty/2022-02-03/3_1175_donbass.html
Kober A (2015) From heroic to post-heroic warfare: Israel’s way of war in asymmetrical conflicts. Armed Forces Soc 41(1):96–122
Lamothe D, Marianna S, Amy C (24 Feb 2022) Kyiv could fall quickly under Russian attack, Biden administration says. Washington Post. Retrieved 28 Aug 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/24/russia-ukraine-attack-news/
Lawless J (15 Aug 2022) Urban combat and beyond: Ukrainian recruits get UK training. AP. Retrieved 5 Sept 2022 https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-england-british-army-government-and-politics-28c34fa010b4ba33afdbc344cfda3ef3
Lyall J (1 March 2022) It’s hard for Russia to invade Ukraine when its soldiers don’t want to be there. Washington Post. Retrieved 5 Sept 2022 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/01/russia-low-morale-ukraine-invasion/
Lister T (2 March 2022) Zelensky claims deteriorating morale among Russian troops. CNN. Retrieved 25 Aug 2022 https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-02-22/h_88a1ce30fa3a1c0bf674ce64566eced3
Lloyd J (2 March 2022) Putin’s theory of war faces its toughest test. New Statesmen. Retrieved 28 Aug 2022 https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/ukraine/2022/03/putins-theory-of-war-faces-its-toughest-test
Lowry A (2008) Saving private Sychev: Russian masculinities, army hazing, and social norms. Berkeley J Sociol 52:73–100
Luttwak EN (2014) Toward post-heroic warfare. Foreign Aff 74(3):109–122
MacKenzie SP (1992) Politics and military morale: current affairs and citizenship education in the British army 1914–1950. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Manning F (1992) Morale, cohesion, and esprit de corps. In: Gal R, Mangelsdorff D (eds) Handbook of military psychology. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 453–470
Manning F (1994) Morale and cohesion in military psychiatry. In: Jones FD et al (eds) Military psychiatry: preparing in peace for war. Office of the Surgeon General, Washington DC, pp 1–18
Marrow A (21 Jan 2021) Russia jails conscript for 24-1/2 years for killing 8 in shooting spree. Reuters. Retrieved 5 Sept 2022 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-military-shooting-idUSKBN29Q0WI
Marshall SLA (2000) Men against fire: the problem of battle command. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman
Marson J (10 March 2022) In Ukraine, a people’s army includes rock stars, TV hosts and playwrights. Wall Street Journal
Mayetnaya Y (16 Dec 2021) Do Russian military officers have a morale problem? Some say yes. Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 5 Sept 2022 https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-military-officers-morale-problem/31612793.html
Ministry of Defence (24 March 2022) Latest defence intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine. Twitter. Retrieved 25 Aug 2022 https://twitter.com/defencehq/status/1507113449494659080
Ministry of Defence (24 April 2022) Ibid: https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1518104051233300480
Ministry of Defence (30 April 2022) Ibid: https://twitter.com/defencehq/status/1520275307713945600
Ministry of Defence (30 May 2022) Ibid: https://twitter.com/defencehq/status/1531143716840284161
Ministry of Defence (19 June 2022) Ibid: https://twitter.com/defencehq/status/1538401448404434944
Murphy M (12 Sept 2016) Understanding Russia’s concept for total war in Europe. The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 28 Aug 2022 https://www.heritage.org/defense/report/understanding-russias-concept-total-war-europe
Paul C, Matthews M (2016) The Russian firehose of falsehood propaganda model. RAND Corporation, Santa Monica
Pawiński M, Chami G (2019) Why they fight? Reconsidering the role of motivation in combat environments. Def Stud 19(3):297–317
Rating Group (18 March 2022) The fifth national poll: Ukraine during the war. Peйтинг. Retrieved 5 Sept 2022 https://ratinggroup.ua/en/research/ukraine/pyatyy_obschenacionalnyy_opros_ukraina_v_usloviyah_voyny_18_marta_2022.html
RIA Novosti (24 Nov 2017) Aктep Зeлeнcкий pacкpитикoвaл CБУ из-зa зaпpeтa cepиaлa Cвaты. RIA Website. Retrieved 6 Sept 2022 https://ria.ru/20171124/1509516953.html
Rosram (24 Oct 2014) Этo… пepвый дeнь твoeй HOBOЙ жизни. YouTube. Retrieved 25 Aug 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbKte4aKPxg
Sazonov V et al (2016) Russian information campaign against the Ukrainian state and defence forces. NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, Tartu
Scarr F (16 May 2022) Twitter. Retrieved 4 Sept 2022 https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1526293852704890882
Scheipers S (ed) (2014) Heroism and the changing character of war: toward post-heroic warfare? Palgrave Macmillan, London
Shay J (1995) Achilles in Vietnam: Combat trauma and the undoing of character. Simon & Schuster, New-York
Sherzer A (2022) Israeli military education: historical overview of a unique phenomenon (1941–2004). Br J Middle East Stud 49(5):971–992
Shils EA, Janowitz M (1948) Cohesion and disintegration in the Wehrmacht in World War II. Public Opin Q 12(2):280–315
Stanley J, Eliyahu S (21 March 2022) Putin’s fascism. Tablet Magazine. Retrieved 6 Sept 2022 https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/putins-fascism
Starr M (19 June 2022) Ukraine issues postal stamps of tractor towing away Russian tank. Jerusalem Post
Staten A (16 May 2022) Russia pundit gives rare public damning assessment of Ukraine war. Newsweek
Stern DL (27 Jan 2022) Meet the Ukrainian volunteers training to fight Russians in the streets of Kyiv. Washington Post
Strachan H (2006) Training, morale and modern war. Contemp Hist 41(2):211–227
Tsvetkova M (10 May 2015) Special report: Russian soldiers quit over Ukraine. Reuters. Retrieved 25 Aug 2022 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-soldiers-specialreport-idUSKBN0NV06Q20150510
Ulio JA (1941) Military morale. Am J Sociol 47(3):321–330
Yanchenko K (2022) Making sense of populist hyper reality in the post-truth age: evidence from Volodymyr Zelensky’s voters. Mass Communication and Society
Zelenkov M (2000) Maintenance of morale in the military. Military Thought 9(6)
Zelenkov M (2019) Mиxaил Зeлeнкoв: Mopaльнo-пcиxoлoгичecкoe oбecпeчeниe дeятeльнocти вoйcк, вoинcкиx фopмиpoвaний и opгaнoв. Infra M, Moscow
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sherzer, A., Boumendil, S. (2024). The Morale Component of the Russia–Ukraine War. In: Ben-Shalom, U., Moelker, R., Stern, N., Ben-Ari, E. (eds) Military Heroism in a Post-Heroic Era. The Military and Society. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51556-9_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51556-9_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-51555-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-51556-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)