And again, Ukrainian self-organization is in the spotlight

Ukrainian protests in July against the new law on depriving anti-corruption state bodies of independence increased the relevance of the issue of the peculiarities of self-organization of Ukrainian society. Our German colleagues posted our article on the website about the results of the study of this topic in Ukraine Verstehen. We offer here its translation into English

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Self-Organization in Resistance: Civil Society Participation in the Defense of Kyiv

Larysa Pylgun and Mykhailo Savva July 3, 2025

The Russian invasion mobilized Ukrainian civil society and demonstrated the power of horizontal connections and the absence of hierarchies.

Immediately after the start of Russia’s aggressive war in 2014, thousands of Ukrainians volunteered for military service. Many civilians also organized to help the army or support their fellow citizens.

Many of the army’s needs were provided not by the state, but by self-organized groups. Soon, these groups were supplying the army with everything it needed except heavy weapons. This widespread voluntary support was a key reason for the failure of Russia’s plan to occupy Kyiv, and then all of Ukraine.

Cohesion and Self-Organization During War

Our research over the past three years allows us to better understand the structure of these groups, as well as the motivations of the people who organize this process. We ourselves took part in this process, supporting both civilians and the Ukrainian army during the Russian offensive on Kyiv. Our home is not far from Kyiv, near Bucha. This is a city occupied by Russia in February and March 2022 and infamous throughout the world for the massacres committed there by Russians. We witnessed these atrocities, as well as mutual assistance, solidarity, and grassroots democratic organization of Ukrainians. This experience inspired us to launch a research project, “Self-Organization and Cohesion of Ukrainian Society During War,” which we implemented together with the Ukrainian Association for Evaluation and students from Kyiv and Dnipro.

In 2022 and 2023, we conducted more than 300 interviews with people of different ages and professions. We supplemented the interviews with an online survey among Ukrainians who helped Ukrainian soldiers, internally displaced persons, or people in war zones.

Motives for Resistance

Our research shows that self-organization is deeply rooted in Ukrainian society. People respond to the destruction and suffering of war without any special knowledge, skills, or experience, regardless of age, gender, or economic status. Volunteer leaders mobilize their communities, raise funds, learn new skills, and create non-profit organizations or even businesses. For example, one of the economists we interviewed started producing bulletproof vests. Initially, she did this for personal reasons: her brother did not have a bulletproof vest when he joined the army. Her sister quickly learned completely new professional skills simply because it was important to her and her family.

In general, the motives for volunteering are quite varied. For some, they are personal, such as the desire to help relatives or friends or prevent the occupation of their hometown. For others, the main motivation is patriotic values and the desire to defend their freedom. The range of activities ranges from producing combat drones to collecting clothes for military hospitals. Volunteers work together in these groups as long as they have a common goal. If the common interests disappear, the group disbands, but its members usually continue to work in new groups to focus on other issues.

Horizontal Networks

After the Russian invasion, horizontal connections between volunteer groups grew rapidly. “We just wrote on social media: ‘We have adult diapers.’” Another group of volunteers responded: “Where can I pick them up?” The coordinator of one group said in an interview: “There are a lot of us. And all these people responded to the problem at the same time. It was like telepathy.” Another participant in our study emphasized: “We were supported by people we didn’t even know the day before.”

With experience, volunteers learn to specialize, improve the efficiency of processes, professionalize management methods, and make informed decisions. The coordinator of a student group from the Faculty of Engineering said: “At first, we saw every problem and tried to solve it. But then we focused on what we do best. Now we make batteries.”

Many groups become more professional, register as non-profit organizations, and build mutual connections. One respondent said: “I call it a social network of neurons. We use a broad base of contacts. Not everyone knows each other personally. But in every chain of communication there are always people you know personally and trust. This network is based on common values. It consists of flexible, mobile people who know how to self-organize and take responsibility.” Members of such groups support each other emotionally and practically. They create rituals to strengthen the group identity. Many volunteers consider their participation meaningful and a way to restore a sense of control. By solving common problems, people show their activity: “I felt an urgent need to do something. To help others, so as not to lose self-control. It works,” says one of our interlocutors.

Invisible Heroes

Leadership within groups is usually situational – problem-oriented rather than status-oriented. Even coordinators do not see themselves as central figures, but rather as part of a larger whole: “I am not the center – I am just a small cog helping people.”

Volunteer work is usually based on a horizontal hierarchy. Trust replaces formal authority. Even in wartime, responsibility is taken for granted – for example, in the form of photographic evidence of the arrival of humanitarian aid at the front. Three years after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, the war has affected almost every Ukrainian family. People are becoming increasingly exhausted.

Ukraine is a country with a long history of mistrust of central authorities – be it from Moscow, Vienna or Warsaw. Many respondents cited this historical experience as the reason for their current mistrust of state structures. But horizontal self-organization opens up opportunities: it creates trust where the state cannot do so, and strengthens the resilience of a society that has been defending its rights for years in the fight against a superior enemy.

Larisa Pylgun, member of the board of the Ukrainian Assessment Association, deputy chairman of the board of the Expert Group "Sova"

Mykhailo Savva, Doctor of Political Science, professor, member of the board of the Ukrainian Assessment Association, chairman of the board of the Expert Group "Sova"

Original in German: https://ukraineverstehen.de/selbstorganisation-im-widerstand/