The Terminology of Wartime Morality and Ethics

Illustrations by Jane Doe

Extreme situations confront people with complicated existential questions, force them to make choices, and expose their moral character. For everyone in Russia – whether they are directly involved or trying to act as if nothing momentous is happening – the war with Ukraine is just such a situation.

There are those whose lives have dramatically changed since the full-scale war began in February 2022: some have been arrested or had a loved one sent off to fight; others have had their family split apart by emigration. But even those whose basic life circumstances remain unchanged have had to adjust their relationships with the outside world, taking a cautious approach to social media posts, questioning whether they should leave jobs tied to the government, and weighing the practical versus moral risks involved in decisions to support fellow Russians being persecuted by the authorities.