The aim of the book is to present the war in its two versions and dimensions, i.e., the media image and the human factor. The choice of these two areas has not been random. Due to the situation, communication, also the one that mobilizes and shapes attitudes toward war, has moved to the Internet. From the first days of the war, pieces of information have generated various emotions, which translated into individual feelings, but also evoked broadly understood movement—in the area of spreading (dis) information and direct behavior. This movement was multi-level—we see the mobilization of people in the area of conspiracy theories, the expression of difficult emotions in memes, as well as a test of strength in the information war between Russia and Ukraine. The presentation of Volodymir and Olena Zelenski in the media also had an undeniable impact of mobilization, and their attitude built the image of heroic Ukraine from the very beginning. These and other relationships between the indicated factors are presented in the book.

This volume examines the war in Ukraine from a range of historical, military and feminist perspectives, exploring aspects such as the attitude of neighboring states, political leadership, local government, social mechanisms and the cultural and media policies of both Russia and Ukraine. The contributors explain how Ukraine shaped its identity following its separation from the USSR and how Russia built its military power and implemented its invasion plans. Considering the impact of the war not only in Ukraine, but also the Baltic states, chapters discuss the leadership role of President Zelensky, patriotic attitudes, the victimization of women and the impact on Poland as it helps and aid to huge numbers of refugees. Providing much needed context on the Russia-Ukraine war, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of international relations, political science, gender studies, international and national security and public politics.