This issue of the magazine “Geography, Politics and Society” hides a wide range of topical problems relat- ed to the conducting of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Ukraine. The modern collection of scientific works of the Ukrainian researchers-scientists presents in- formation about their researchers and studies of the other countries’ experience. In addition to this, they show the results of their own implementations and the received achievements in the development of new approaches to improve the socio-humanitarian sphere, which needs close attention of scientists, managers, citizens in the modern living conditions of the country. The intensification of the integration processes at the global and regional levels, considerable instabil- ity, the dynamism of changes, as well as the growing competition between the world and regional power centers to preserve and strengthen their influence on the development of relations, have affected the development of various forms of military-political conflicts. It is, in fact, one of the greatest threats to the international safety. Ukraine has not escaped the tragedy. The military aggression of the Rus- sian Federation against Ukraine, the war in eastern Ukraine, especially in the Donetsk and Luhansk re- gions, where, along with the separatists, the regular units of the Russian armed forces have been fighting against Ukraine since 2014, the annexation of the Crimea became a serious test for the Ukrainians. For the first time in the twenty-first century the country – a permanent member of the UN Security Council – was aggressing against neighboring states, despite their commitment to maintaining peace and secu- rity. By its actions, Russia has destroyed the existing system of the international security. The widescale military conflict, the so-called “hy- brid war”, defined at the legal level by the Decree of the President of Ukraine “On the decision of the Coun- cil of National Security and Defense of Ukraine dated April 13, 2014” On urgent measures to overcome the terrorist threat and preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine “as” Anti-terrorist operation “(hereinafter – ATO), undoubtedly, has a very negative effect on the country’s potential and development. A hybrid of the information war, spreading panic and disbelief, manipulation, stimulation and simula- tion of protest movements, sabotage groups, terror- ist acts, etc. on the backgrounds of fighting, actual- ize the study of trends of the social development of modern Ukraine. Specific features of this “hybrid war”, in particu- lar, are its orientation not only to the annexation of Journal of Geography, Politics and Society 2018, 8(1), 5–7 DOI 10.4467/24512249JG.18.001.8153 IntroductIon Olena Korolchuk (1) (2), Marina Bilуnska (3) (1) Department of Social and Humanitarian Policy, National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, Tsedika, 20, 02000 Kyiv, Ukraine, (2) Department of Health Systems Management, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel, e-mail: terrasanitas@gmail.com (corresponding author) (3) National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, Tsedika, 20, 02000 Kyiv, Ukraine, e-mail: bilynska@ukr.net citation Korolchuk O., Bilуnska M., 2018, Introduction, Journal of Geography, Politics and Society, 8(1), 5–7. 6 Olena Korolchuk, Marina Bilуnska individual territories, but to the general weakening and disorganization of the Ukrainian authorities, the restriction of sovereignty and international legal personality of the Ukrainian state, the destruction of its economic potential, industrial, transport, social infrastructures and national unity and identity. There was a need to intensify the systemic reform, ensur- ing the European choice of Ukraine, first of all, to develop an optimal model of foreign policy guaran- teeing national security, as well as the internal - with the formation of adequate modern standards of so- cial security for certain categories of the population – affected persons (AP) from combat actions in the East of Ukraine – ATO participants and internally dis- placed persons (IDP). Today, the Ukrainian information space, bro- ken by hostile invasions, cause concerns in various aspects both inside and outside the country, due to the sluggish reaction of the media to the con- junctural challenges of the external and internal media space that is transforming every day. At the level of the virtual fight in Ukraine, a new segment of the media is formed that is hardened by hostile attacks on the freedom of the spirit and will of the Ukrainian people. Under these conditions, today every media channel carries out its own information struggle, receiving victories in the war of semantic contradictions. Radio broadcasting potential - a safety valve, a source of up-to-date information, a means of com- munication and exchange of ideas – should be con- ceptualized at the scientific level and concentrated on informational support, focused on the life stories of the listeners, united by common problems - peo- ple that will be heard and understood. In peacetime, it will become an environment that unites not indif- ferent patriotic citizens. Ukrainian researchers have proved that the po- tential of broadcasting the coverage of the military conflict in Ukraine is today focused on issues of so- cial adaptation of officials and AP due to ATO and annexation to effective and productive life in peace- ful conditions. There is also the lack of attention of radio companies to the topics of the ATO. It has been established that the most specific for the Ukrain- ian ether are entertaining, social and psychological, artistic-cultural, patriotic (ideological and propagan- da), historical, informational and analytical projects that are closer to the listener not only at home but also in the trenches or during the adaptation after military service. Usually, an entertaining, easily perceptible, en- ergetic and exciting form of radio broadcast in the new conditions of ATO faces a difficult dilemma: it is necessary to find a unique compromise between its traditionally positive nature and the deeply offend- ed spirit of public consciousness. As a result, some moved the traditional focus corresponding to the challenges of the present, while others ignored top- ics that contradict the radio serenity concept. There is great anxiety about the problem of informational support of ATO participants and local residents since the beginning of the conflict. State broadcasters should be the flagships of broadcasting in the East of Ukraine, because the information vacuum may be more deafening than weapons, and a victim of hostile propaganda can be both civilian and military. In order to reduce the pro- Russian regional identity in the east, it is necessary to prepare and implement the most effective measures of the socio-humanitarian, ethnic and, especially, in- formation policy. The Ukrainian state and society are at a new stage of profound transformations, burdened by the consequences of the military conflict, that affects the condition of society, the main spheres of life of the country and each individual, including internal migration, socio-economic, political tension and so- cial disadaptation, mobilization of the army, difficult losses (more than 10 thousand servicemen and civil- ians), as well as unresolved needs in the adjustment and socialization of thousands of wounded and disa- bled people, ATO participants and AP as a result of the ATO. Problems require attention: society, preserving livelihoods for the benefit of the state in the mod- ern realities of external aggression and economic crisis (Ukraine lost about 1/5 of its economic power), a sharp decline in living standards, bitter losses and considerable material damage, remains dissatisfied with the level and quality of life, the activity of the authorities – distrust in the state institutions. These problems are turning into deep despair, apathy and depression. In order to eliminate this danger, it is necessary to peremptorily and quickly react and act, properly diagnose and rank challenges, treats, and develop, formulate and provide timely adequate responses. In particular, the system of anti-crisis public ad- ministration was introduced in order to make con- crete dynamic decisions at the right time on the ba- sis of civil-military cooperation technologies. What is more, the development of a network of military-civil- ian administrations has been activated, which allows solving the issue of the absence of governments in the liberated territories and preserve the system of public administration in conditions that are capable of functioning. Additionally, it solves the problem of the effectiveness of democratic civilian control in the security sector, reforming civil-military relations, and Introduction 7 ensuring the effectiveness of public administration in the security and defense sectors. The launch of a complex of urgent political, so- cial and economic reforms has now opened up dif- ferent opportunities for adequate responses and, at the same time, it requires a very clear agreement between the specific, addressed to the East of the country, and general innovations, that will help Ukraine to stand, defend, change and go ahead. Modern Ukrainian socio-political life and socially- oriented state administration require revision and improvement of the mechanisms of state govern- ance, adequate to time and situation, actualizing re- search both in theoretical and practical terms. One of the most important issues in this context is the development and introduction of modern mecha- nisms of public administration with the purpose of high-quality and effective realization of socio- humanitarian policy – organizational principles and corresponding modern tools of state management system of social protection of separate groups of the population, especially ATO participants, internally displaced persons (IDPs), APs as a result of ATOs and their families. During 2014–2015 six waves of mobilization were conducted in Ukraine, through which about 200 thousand citizens passed. Since 2016, a con- tracted army was introduced, when servicemen be- came the military base, who voluntarily went to the army under contract. During 2016–2017, more than 100 thousand people were recruited and reserved to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The number of con- tributing members of the ATO and their family mem- bers is constantly increasing – as at February 2017, 283,895 persons became the “veteran of the battle”, about 7 thousand – members of the families of the dead. Furthermore, more than 4,100 people became invalids (data of the State Veterans Service and ATO participants). Additional pressure on the social infrastructure of the country and local communities, on state and local budgets creates 1.7 million IDP, that left their homes, lost their property, broke social ties, and, in most cases, – became less competitive. Thus, there appeared two new categories of AP due to ATO in Ukraine – the recipients of social ser- vices that require special attention of the state since the social vulnerability of these people is a phenom- enon that arose suddenly. It dramatically changed the habitual life of citizens, most of which did not re- quire state support until 2014. The aforementioned separate categories of the population of APs – the participants of the ATO and the IDPs, and their fam- ily members, who need proper state assistance and support, rehabilitation, social and psychological ad- aptation, etc. In accordance with the theory of social space P. Burdue, a new “actually functioning group of peo- ple” has been formed in Ukraine since 2015, which act as autonomous subjects in multidimensional so- cial spheres and Ukrainian society has not yet solved problems of several areas of social policy : socio-eco- nomic welfare, employment, health with the neces- sary component of rehabilitation, APs integration as a result of ATO, IDPs, and, most importantly, sociali- zation of ATO participants and veterans, members of their families. The future development of the Ukrainian Nation, carried out in the newly created conditions of eco- nomic, ecological, socio-psychological and political realities, another mental reality, requires carrying out prolonged scientific researchers in order to for- mulate and implement state policy; directed primar- ily at reducing the powerful socio-psychological tension, integration of Ukrainian society, catalyze the strengthening of national identity and national unity on the backdrop of a significant increase in the level and quality of life of Ukrainians. The editor is grateful to all the Scientists – the authors and co-authors of the articles-texts of this collection, working in the research centers of vari- ous institutions of Ukraine. Also, a special gratitude is expressed to reviewers and co-editors, Polish col- leagues, for their work. At the same time, he hopes that the presented topics are interesting. Olena Korolchuk, Marina Bilуnska