What Role Did World War II Play in Shaping the Identities of Ukraine and Russia?
World War II isn’t just history for Ukraine and Russia—it’s personal, and in many ways, it’s still shaping how these countries see themselves and each other today. Both nations were part of the Soviet Union during the war, and both paid a devastating price. But how they remember that time—and what lessons they draw from it—couldn’t be more different.
During World War II, Ukraine and Russia fought side by side—but remembered the war in very different ways.
Ukraine: A Story of Trauma, Division, and Survival
For Ukraine, World War II was incredibly complex. Some Ukrainians fought with the Red Army against Nazi Germany. Others—especially in the west—initially welcomed the Germans as liberators from Soviet oppression. And some joined resistance movements, fighting both the Soviets and the Nazis at different times.
It’s messy. But that’s because Ukraine was caught between two brutal regimes—Stalin’s USSR and Hitler’s Germany. The war left Ukrainian towns flattened, millions dead, and entire communities—including Jews, Poles, and Crimean Tatars—scarred or wiped out.
To this day, many Ukrainians look at WWII not just as a victory over fascism, but as a period of deep suffering, repression, and survival under two occupying forces.
Russia: A Story of Glory, Sacrifice, and National Pride
In Russia, the war is remembered as the Great Patriotic War—a unifying national myth rooted in heroism, sacrifice, and ultimate victory. Russia lost over 20 million people, and the suffering was real. But the story Russia tells today is much more black and white: the USSR were the heroes who saved the world from Nazism.
“World War II gave Russia a story of triumph and Ukraine a story of trauma. The war is over—but the memory war has just begun.”
This narrative is powerful—and politically useful. The Russian government often uses WWII imagery and language to justify modern policies, even wars. In 2022, Putin even claimed he was “de-Nazifying” Ukraine—an idea that baffled Ukrainians and much of the world.
Competing Narratives, Competing Identities
Here’s where the clash happens: Russia often frames Ukraine’s complex WWII history as “Nazi collaboration,” ignoring the fact that millions of Ukrainians fought and died to defeat fascism too. Ukraine, on the other hand, resents being labeled and misrepresented, especially when it’s trying to build its own identity and historical narrative—one that isn’t controlled by Moscow.
This difference in memory is more than symbolic. It shapes how both nations see each other. Russia sees Ukraine as straying from shared “glory.” Ukraine sees Russia as rewriting history to excuse aggression.
Why It Still Matters
World War II isn’t over in the minds of many in Eastern Europe. The war may have ended in 1945, but the struggle over its meaning continues to influence politics, propaganda, and public sentiment today.
For Ukraine, remembering WWII is part of a larger journey to define itself as a sovereign nation. For Russia, it’s part of maintaining an image of greatness and unity—sometimes at the expense of the truth.
