An Episode of Existential Uncertainty: The Ontological Security Origins of the War in Donbas (Summer 2021)

Despite the fact that the war in eastern Ukraine has been ongoing for over seven years, there remains no satisfactory answer as to what prompted Moscow to invade Donbas in the first place. Explanations range from materialist to ideational — however, none get to the heart of the matter. In addressing this problem, this paper uses the concept of ontological security to explain the motivations behind the 2014 invasion. Compared with the available explanations for the invasion, ontological security goes further in accounting for Moscow’s seemingly irrational actions than do previous analyses. Further, it would appear as though the continuation of the conflict is fueled by identity-based routines associated with ontological security. In examining these topics, this paper provides a background on relevant events, outlines the alternate explanations, defines and makes the case for ontological security, and indicates the necessity of a novel conflict-resolution approach in Donbas.