"HOMO MILITANS": Motivations of Paramilitary Individuals in Ukraine

The undeclared Russian-Ukrainian war in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions stimulated both pro-Ukrainian militias and rebels from Donetsk and Luhansk to join the war in Eastern Ukraine. Based on the empirical field work conducted in November 2015 – February 2016 with paramilitaries in Donbas, this research tackles the questions of why people chose to voluntarily join the fight and how they articulate their own motivation; how they interpret the escalation of conflict in Donbas; and how they see their life after the end of the war. The answers to these questions will lead to understanding of the steps necessary to establish peace in Ukraine. The answers to these questions will lead to understanding of the steps necessary to establish peace in Ukraine.

This study is co-funded by the Ukrainian Peace-building School and British Embassy in Ukraine.