Wartime landscapes of Ukraine: Shaping, structure, and restoration

Wartime landscape complexes hold a special place in the structure of modern Ukraine. Being widespread throughout the country, the landscapes were noticed by researchers only at the turn of the 21st century. The study analyses the current state and functioning of wartime landscapes in the plains of Ukraine in order to propose measures for their further rational use and conservation. What is applied are the principles of historicism, of natural-anthropogenic compatibility as well as the related methods, including historic landscape analysis, compilation of historical-genetic series of landscape study maps, end-result analysis, a natural analogue comparison method, analysis of wartime landscape complexes as components of a paragenetic system, and GIS-technologies. The widespread distribution and significant diversity of wartime landscape complexes within the plains of Ukraine made it possible to identify a number of wartime areas and corresponding sites. Among the largest ones are the areas of fortified points with sites of defensive ramparts, defensive ditches, and scarps; areas of isolated defensive ramparts with corresponding sites of earthen multi-age ramparts and ditches; areas of defensive lines with a complex system of wartime sites including fortresses, ramparts, redoubts, firing points and entrenchments. The guidelines for wartime landscape restoration are substantiated, with the view to their further rational use as specific areas of scientific research, tourist and reserve sites, as well as facilities that will develop local studies and patriotic education. It is noted that the rational use and conservation of wartime landscapes should be implemented in the form of wartime geosites – anthropogenic formations of military origin with the corresponding territories. The issue of the wartime landscapes formed as a result of the Russian military aggression still lacks sufficient analysis and requires further discussion.