“And Someone There Lives as Before, Coexisting with Evil…”: Veterans of the Afghan War and Soviet Society

Issues of the perception of war by the civilian population, the image of war and the individual at war, as well as the formation of historical memory were highlighted. The contradictory process of integrating Afghan war veterans into peaceful life in the Soviet Union after their return to their homeland in the late 1980s–early 1990s was examined.The main trends in the interaction between Soviet society and internationalist soldiers were analyzed, taking into account an interdisciplinary approach that includes military-historical anthropology, military psychology, and historical sociology.Conclusions are drawn about the complex nature of the factors that shaped a distorted perception of Afghan war veterans.

EDN CNVJUS

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