"The DeNATOisation" of Ukraine and Eastern Europe as a Principal Objective of Russia's War against Ukraine

The paper explores the core concept of “deNATOisation” as articulated by the Kremlin and its contemporary implications within the context of the Russian Federation’s full-scale war against Ukraine. Significant attention is devoted to analysing the historical background of this policy, viewed through the lens of the evolution of relations between Russia and NATO in the post-bipolar era. Concurrently, the current reasons for Russian opposition to NATO expansion are examined, particularly those related to security, ideology, and domestic politics. Employing qualitative methods to analyse a range of documentary and secondary sources, the authors present arguments that demonstrate the Russian government’s misinterpretation of history, highlighting how the distortion of historical facts provides a fertile ground for manipulation and potentially perilous scenarios in the resolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.