Between nationalism and solidarity: writing on the far right, anti-gender mobilisation and LGBTQ activism in Ukraine’s war context

This article explores the ethical and methodological challenges of researching anti-gender actors, particularly far-right nationalist groups, in wartime Ukraine. Rather than focusing on the far right as a political subject, it reflects on the consequences of this focus becoming central to Western and Russian interpretations of Ukrainian politics, especially in relation to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights. The Russian state has long used narratives of ‘Ukrainian Nazism’ to justify its aggression, putting scholars at risk of unintentionally reinforcing disinformation. Meanwhile, the wartime context has produced new alliances between LGBTQ activists and nationalist actors, complicating the analytical and emotional terrain. Exploring this new, complicated political landscape, the article proposes applying critical feminist friendship as a research ethic, allowing for situated critique, emotional accountability and solidarity with vulnerable communities. It argues for the need to critically engage with nationalism and militarisation within queer and feminist spaces, without losing sight of geopolitical asymmetries and local complexities.