The political and legal foundations of the human dimension of Ukraine's National Security: Strategies for Survival and Counteraction to Cognitive Threats

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the political and legal foundations of the human dimension f Ukraine's national security under full-scale war, viewed through the prism of two interconnected components: the physical survival of the nation and its cognitive resilience. It is argued that modern hybrid warfare is waged not only for territories but also for peopleм – their physical presence, demographic potential, consciousness, and will to resist. The research aims to identify key threats in the human dimension of security and to analyze the effectiveness of state strategies aimed at their neutralization. The research methodology combines a conceptual analysis of human security and cognitive warfare theories, statistical analysis of demographic and migration data, and content analysis of strategic documents and information campaigns. The article details the threats to the nation's physical survival, particularly the demographic crisis caused by unprecedented migration, falling birth rates, and war losses, as well as the human capital crisis due to «brain drain» and deteriorating public health. It examines state policies aimed at overcoming these challenges, including support for IDPs and refugee return programs. Special attention is paid to the analysis of cognitive threats as an element of a targeted war against Ukrainian identity and social cohesion. The main narratives of Russian information-psychological operations (PSYOPs) and Ukrainian counter-strategies are studied, including the activities of the Center for Countering Disinformation and the development of media literacy. A key element of the article is the analysis of the interconnection between the physical and cognitive dimensions: it demonstrates how disinformation affects migration decisions and the psychological state of citizens, and how, in turn, socio-economic difficulties increase vulnerability to hostile propaganda. It is concluded that there is an urgent need to develop and implement an integrated state strategy for human security that would synchronize demographic, social, educational, and information policies to ensure the long-term resilience and survival of the Ukrainian nation.