A Brotherly Enemy: Ukraine Through the Perspective of Putin’s Zetism

Abstract

This paper is an analysis of Putin’s anti-Ukrainian narrative. I argue that contemporary Russian culture is defined by the prevalence of highly traditionalist attitudes. These attitudes propagate the language of ideological confrontation with the West. I suggest the inclusion of the term ’zetism’ into scholarly literature, which has become a symbol of verbal and military aggression against Ukraine. This symbol arose spontaneously; it is represented graphically (the letter ’Z’) and placed on various conventional weapons of the Russian army. In the article, I conclude that in the next stage of the conflict, Putin’s Zetism will become a cultural sign of Russian ’war traditionalism.’ According to the Zetist perspective, Russia, as a holy and orthodox state, defends itself against Western aggression - that is, its atheistic liberalism and leftism. This view interprets NATO’s aid to Ukraine as a cunning strategy to destroy Russia as the last bastion of the traditional order, including’traditional sexuality.’ Furthermore, I examine the traditionalist narrative referencing the scholarly discourse of the stranger and the enemy (Florian Znaniecki). I argue that Ukraine is described as a brotherly enemy – that is, one who has betrayed the Russkiy Mir, the Orthodox, traditional community, by selling out to an unfamiliar and hostile ’godless.’ ’deviant’ West. Zetism conveys an unambiguous message to Russians: Russia’s mission is to ‘liberate’ Ukraine from outside forces and then to destroy the anti-values of the Western world.