WORKSHOP: (Para-)Military Violence, War Crimes in Post-Soviet Conflicts and Narratives of the Russo- Ukrainian War

Picture: Destruction of Russian Tanks by Ukrainian Troops in Mariupol, 2022 © Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

 

Organisation: Alyona Bidenko & Jan C. Behrends (both ZZF)

Summary

The workshop “(Para-)Military Violence, War Crimes in Post-Soviet Conflicts, and Narratives of the Russo-Ukrainian War,” held from May 21-23, 2024, in Berlin and Potsdam, focused on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and broader aspects of military violence in post-Soviet spaces. Organized by the Leibniz-Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung (ZZF), the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Pilecki Institute, the event brought together scholars and experts to discuss Russian war crimes, irregular armed units, and historical and contemporary narratives of conflict.

The event opened with a public presentation of testimonies from Ukraine, shedding light on the ongoing war crimes committed by Russian troops. Natalia Otrishchenko (Lviv Center for Urban History), Anna Kushkova (Nevzlin Center), and Mateusz Fałkowski (Pilecki Institute) highlighted the importance of preserving historical records for the justice and accountability.

On the second day, Jan Claas Behrends (ZZF) outlined the workshop’s goals and explained how the event drew upon new sources from the Russo-Ukrainian war, emphasizing the historical significance of Russia’s military actions in the broader context of post-Soviet conflicts.

The first panel, moderated by Nina Janz (NIOD), examined state and non-state actors in military conflicts. Jan Claas Behrends traced the Soviet and Russian tradition of special operations and the culture of violence that persists in military structures. Alyona Bidenko (ZZF) explored intercepted phone calls of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, providing insights into the role of Russian propaganda in soldiers’ wartime experiences. Thomas da Silva (CERCEC) discussed the Union of Donbass Volunteers’ participation in the Russo-Ukrainian war in Donbas, while David Matsaberidze (Tbilisi State University) examined non-state actors in Georgia during the early 1990s.

The second panel was moderated by Sophie Lambroschini (Centre Marc Bloch). Yuliya Krylova-Grek (National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy) analyzed hate speech against Ukraine in Russian media, examining the use of specific phrases and transmission methods. Miglė Bareikytė (European University Viadrina) and Mykola Makhortykh (Institute of Communication and Media Science) discussed the role of online platforms in documenting Russia’s war in Ukraine, using Telegram chats from occupied cities. Marcin Jędrysiak (Centre of Eastern Europe Studies) explored the legal status of irregular military units, focusing on Russia and the Wagner Group.

The third panel on methodological advancements explored new approaches to studying conflicts. Natalia Otrishchenko highlighted the ethical and methodological challenges of interviewing Ukrainian civilians, while Mateusz Fałkowski emphasized the usage of case studies to analyze Russian war crimes, including instances of sexual violence. The event concluded with a witness testimony from Tetiana Tipakova, who shared her personal experiences of torture and resistance during the Russian occupation of Berdyansk.

The third day opened with a panel on historical legacies in post-Soviet spaces, led by Evgen Zinger (ZZF). Nikolaus von Twickel (Zentrum Liberale Moderne) examined paramilitary groups in Donbas (2014-2022), while Roman Khimich discussed local organizations involved in the war in Ukraine. Semion Goldin (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) explored anti-Jewish violence by the Russian army during WWI, drawing parallels to Ukraine. Finally, Glen Segell (University of Cambridge, University of the Free State) analyzed modern conflicts, comparing the Balkan and Chechen wars, and 9/11, while highlighting the Cold War and Soviet-era influences.

 

Programme

May 21, 2024 – Pilecki Institute Pariser Platz 4A, 10117 Berlin

18:00 Collecting Testimonies from Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Why and How to Do it. Perspectives, Documentary Projects, and Archival Collections from Berlin, Warsaw, Lviv & Jerusalem

 

May 22, 2024 – The Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History (ZZF) Potsdam Am Neuen Markt 9d, 14467 Potsdam

10:00 Beginning of the Workshop. Welcome at ZZF

10:15-13.00 Panel 1: Conflict Dynamics Revisited: State and Non-State Actors

Chair: Nina Janz (NIOD)

Jan Claas Behrends (ZZF/ Viadrina): “Special Operations”, War Crimes and Genocide by Soviet and Russian Forces after 1945.

Alyona Bidenko (ZZF): Fracturing Narratives: Russian Soldiers’ Perspectives on the Invasion of Ukraine.

Thomas da Silva (CERCEC): Paramilitarization in Post-Soviet Russia: the Union of Donbass Volunteers in the War in Ukraine (2014 – 2024).

David Matsaberidze (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University): The Mkhedrioni (Riders) as a Non-State Actor in Post-Soviet Georgia: From Civil War to State Consolidation (1991-1995).

 

13:00-14:00 Lunch

 

14:00-16:00 Panel 2: Reimagining Narratives: Legal Dimensions and Media’s Influence on Post-Soviet Conflicts

Chair: Sophie Lambroschini (Centre Marc Bloch)

Yuliya Krylova-Grek (National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy): War and Words: from Hate Speech to Incitements to Crimes.

Miglė Bareikytė (European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)) and Mykola Makhortykh (Institute of Communication and Media Science): War from within: Witnessing Russia’s War against Ukraine through Online Platforms.

Marcin Jędrysiak (Centre of Eastern Europe Studies in Warsaw, University of Lower Silesia DSW): Status of the Paramilitary Group Fighters in the International Law – How To Deal with the Problem of a “Being under a Command Responsible to a State Party”?

 

16:00-16:10 Coffee Break

 

16:10-18:10 Panel 3: New Avenues in Conflict Research Methodology

Chair: Kerstin Bischl (ZOiS)

Natalia Otrishchenko (Lviv Centre for Urban History): New Avenues of Methodology and Research. Selected Testimonies from the First Wave of Interviewing for the “24.02.22, 5 am: Testimonies from the War” Project.

Mateusz Fałkowski (Pilecki Institute): A Case Study Approach as an Empirical Window into Understanding Russian Crimes: Sexual Violence by the Russian Occupying Forces against Ukrainian Women.

Tetiana Tipakova: A Testimony to Russian Mass Violence.

 

19:30 Dinner

 

May 23, 2024 – The Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam Am Neuen Markt 9d, 14467 Potsdam

10:00-13.00 Panel 4: Analyzing the Legacy: Perspectives on Historical Events in Post-Soviet Spaces

Chair: Evgen Zinger (ZZF)

Nikolaus von Twickel (Zentrum Liberale Moderne): Paramilitary Groups in Russian-controlled Donbas, 2014-2022.

Roman Khimich: Facing Uncertainty: Voluntary Formations of Local Communities in the Ukrainian-Russian War (2014-24).

Semion Goldin (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem): Russian Army and Anti-Jewish Violence during WWI: Some Lessons for Ukraine.

Glen Segell (University of Cambridge, University of the Free State): Different Framings of Historical Events and Processes: The Balkan and the Chechen Wars in the 1990s and 9/11.

 

13:00 Lunch and End of Workshop