Conflict in eastern Ukraine is actually a surrogate or a hybrid war, as informational, axiological and spiritual components are no less important than military force or controlled territory. Such opinion was expressed by experts of the Ukrainian Institute of strategies of global development and adaptation during the round table, dedicated to presentation of a collection of scientific articles "East Ukrainian conflict in the context of global transformations".
"Assessment and identification of the type of the conflict is further complicated by the fact that it has global dimension too. After all, it is not a clash of Russia and the United States or the West and the East. One should speak about the clash of a secular world - Western and the world, for which traditional values are important", - says Director of the Kiev branch of the Ukrainian Institute of strategies of global development and adaptation Alexander Bilokobylskyi.
Also, surrogate character of the war is explained by antecedence of informational and axiological impacts with regard to military operations. In contrast to the classical war, where the military component and control of the territory are the main ways to achieve objectives, "surrogate" war starts with informational operations, and at first does not look like war. Also, throughout the conflict it is non-military component (informational, political, psychological, economic) that is the main instrument of war. In surrogate wars the ratio of non-military and military operations can reach 4:1.
Also, predetermination of the conflict was noted during the round table. "Conflict had to happen. Nobody wanted it, but all parties pursued their objectives and discarded any possibility of compromise. As a result - armed conflict erupted in Donbass", – stressed Alexander Bilokobylskyi.
Experts have concluded that as long as tension and artificial, in many respects, rivalry between regions of Ukraine remain in the society, further escalation of the conflict is possible. In order to restore peace in Donbass, first of all it is necessary to overcome stereotypes of mass consciousness.