The transformation of the life of the population of the border region in the conditions of a special military operation: a sociological analysis

The relevance of the work is determined by the lack of a professional, scientifically based assessment of changes in the society of the border region in the conditions of a special military operation and possible regulatory influences from the subjects of interaction. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the main indicators of monitoring changes in Belgorod society in the conditions of a special military operation. Objectives: assessment of changes in the region under the influence of its; assessment of the changes that have occurred in social institutions under the influence of the special military operation in Ukraine; assessment of the change in the worldview of citizens and forecast of future changes. Methodology. The empirical basis of the work was the results of the study “Development of a scientific and methodological basis for monitoring changes in the society of the border region in a special military operation”, which included a questionnaire survey of the population (n= 1200), focus group interviews and an expert survey (n=37). The results of the study are as follows: The SMO in Ukraine has quite significantly affected all spheres of public life, in particular with regard to the lifestyle of Belgorod residents, their psycho-emotional state and the economy of the region; experts note a noticeable transformation of the worldview of Belgorod residents, associating them mainly with the strengthening of patriotic sentiments and conservative attitudes; The attitude of the population towards its own is determined mainly by the perspective of ensuring security, the extent to which it will be possible to ensure security will largely determine public sentiment and the moral and political climate in the region. Conclusions. Based on the data obtained during the expert survey, it can be stated with a high degree of confidence that the SMO in Ukraine has significantly affected all spheres of public life. The impact of its influence on the change in the socio-political situation in the region can be positive or negative, primarily depending on the degree of solving the security problem. The SMO as a factor contributing to the consolidation of the regional community. This factor has the most tangible impact on current worldviews and orientations.