Artificial Rusticalization of Ukraine in the Russian Empire and Its Interpretation in Literary Works

The article examines the phenomenon of artificial rusticalization of Ukraine as one of the key instruments of the imperial policy of the Russian Empire. This policy was aimed at forming the image of Ukraine as a rural and culturally "backward" province, reducing its rich cultural heritage to simplified and archaic "rural" forms. Such an approach allowed the empire to legitimize Russia's dominance in the region, while at the same time diminishing or completely eliminating the importance of Ukrainian culture. At the same time, Russia has been looting Ukrainian culture for centuries, appropriating its gains along with the very artists it proclaimed to be Russian (a typical example here is Mykola Gogol). The imperial myth of Russia has always been based on the deception and Russification of the peoples that were included in the Russian Empire. The author analyzes the role of fiction as a source of criticism of imperial narratives and a platform for preserving and broadcasting Ukrainian national identity. The focus of the research is debunking the myth of rural provincialism of Ukraine. The work emphasizes that the imperial policy of rustication not only distorted the perception of Ukraine outside the empire, however also formed stereotypes among the local population, influencing social psychology. At the same time, literature, like art in general, became a tool for countering this narrative, contributing to the preservation and development of national self-awareness. It was concluded that the phenomenon of rusticalization of Ukraine had not only a historical and cultural, but also a deep political and ideological dimension. The author emphasizes the importance of rethinking this phenomenon for modern society, because the issue of national identity remains relevant in the context of Ukraine's struggle to preserve its identity.