Urban Symbols at War: How Ukraine Uses Semiotics to Defend Its Identity

When we think about warfare, we usually imagine tanks, missiles, and troops. But in Ukraine, another kind of battle is taking place—one fought in murals, monuments, and street names. In her compelling article Semiotics of Urban Space as a Line of Anthropological Defense, Anna Korzeniowska-Bihun explores how Ukrainian cities have become battlegrounds for meaning, memory, and identity.

Military anthropology isn’t just about soldiers or strategies—it’s also about culture, signs, and symbols. This article examines how urban spaces in Ukraine are being transformed in response to decades of Russian influence and post-Soviet “placelessness.” Since the Euromaidan revolution and especially after the Russian invasion, Ukrainians have been reclaiming their cityscapes by removing Soviet-era monuments, renaming streets, and creating new symbols that reflect national resilience.

From the painted-over Lenin statues in yellow and blue to the spontaneous graffiti and murals of Kyiv during the protests, Korzeniowska-Bihun shows how space becomes a tool of resistance. These are not random acts of protest—they are what she calls “anthropological defense,” a way to protect and assert Ukrainian cultural identity through semiotic control of public space.

The paper introduces powerful terms like placelessness, semiotic sabotage, and museumization, offering a deep dive into how monuments can be both weapons and shields in the cultural war. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in how cities reflect—and resist—power.

Full article: Wiedza Obronna, Vol. 285 No. 4, 2023