'Men Must Fight, Women Must Wait': The War in Ukraine and Russian Traditionalism

• In Event: War, Demographics, and Militarization: Discursive Strategies and Socioeconomic Consequences of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Abstract

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is primarily examined through official narratives, propaganda, and victims' testimonies, however, the deeper motivations driving Russian men to enlist and fight often remain underexplored. While Western and Ukrainian media frequently attribute this to Russian propaganda, animosity towards Ukrainians, naivety, or financial incentives, these factors only partially capture the issue's complexity. An additional motive rooted in an enduring "behavioral schema" which is based on traditional gender roles influencing men's decisions to engage in combat and women's decisions to support them. By analyzing Russian social media and combatants' writings, this study reveals how war discussions are framed by entrenched "traditionalist" behavioral patterns that shape collective feelings and memories.

Author

• Mariia Kurbak, Ashford U / Washington U in St. Louis