The Role of Mavka in the Articulation of Identity Under Conditions of War in Ukraine

Abstract

This article aims to examine Mavka, a mythological forest spirit that has become a dynamic figure of resistance against occupation in the Russian‐Ukrainian war. Drawing on textual and visual materials from the Zla Mavka Telegram channel, the analysis conceptualizes Mavka as a symbolic framework that integrates three different identities: national, place‐based and female, within a shared wartime narrative based on three generational positions within the movement. By connecting individual testimonies with a shared national imaginary, she enables the indirect expression of resilience, fear, care and other emotionally charged experiences that cannot always be articulated openly. In doing so, Mavka allows women not only to preserve but also to reshape their social world under military conditions. The findings demonstrate how a mythological figure can be reactivated within contemporary conflict and mobilized as a shared resource for resilience and resistance.