Laughter and Morale in Ukrainian Humour

• In Event: Humour and Censorship in Eastern Europe and Eurasia

Abstract

Russia attacks Ukrainian civilian targets because morale matters in this war. Ukrainian comedians work to make people laugh for the same reasons: humor gives people hope. Today’s Ukrainian comedy performances acknowledge the violence, uncertainty, and disruption caused by the war, but find humorous elements in shared everyday experiences—however dark those may sometimes be. This talk surveys Ukrainian comedic depictions of warfare and everyday life since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Armed invaders, prisoners of war, and landmines may not seem like standard comedy fodder. But these are all elements of contemporary Ukrainian reality, so comedians make jokes about them. As Ukrainians navigate new and terrifying circumstances, humour tells citizens that they are not fighting alone and not fighting in vain. Comfort and hope, if they don’t stop missile strikes, blunt the despair attacks may cause. Ukrainians may not get a say in whether air raid sirens sound, but they can laugh at Russian defeats. As comedians have often repeated since the full-scale invasion began, ‘Humour is our weapon’ and ‘We laugh so that we don’t give up.’ Comedy performances give audiences frames for understanding experience that counter the hopelessness Russian attacks are meant to sow.

Author

• Austin Garey, Concordia College