Methodological and World-View Approaches to Debunking New Models of Kremlin Mythmakers of Ukrainian History

The relevance of the research. The importance of this topic is also due to the fact that for four centuries, the majority of Ukrainian intellectuals, including historians, were, figuratively speaking, in the "embrace" of Russian and then Soviet historiography, glorified it, and took it as a model, trapped in the pseudo-scientific interpretation of the history of Ukraine, the colonial disease of Little Russianness, inferiority, and provincialism. The purpose of the study is to clarify the methodological and worldview principles of criticism of the latest and updated models of mythologizing the history of Ukraine in Russian narratives, the methods of refuting and debunking myths, and the justification of practical recommendations of a research, worldview, and educational nature with an emphasis on the challenges of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Conclusions. The essence and ideological significance of methodological principles and key research methods for debunking and refuting traditional and new Kremlin mythologemes of Ukrainian history to counteract the use of historical narratives as a tool for legitimizing and justifying the Muscovites' war against Ukraine are clarified. The attention is accented on Ukrainian Studies, historical, systemic, comprehensive, objective, and critical-analytical approaches to examining the core areas of falsifications, distortions, and fabrications of Russian historiography regarding the history and ethnogenesis of the Ukrainian people, the denial of its uniqueness, antiquity, and originality of its national language, culture, and the right to its own identity and statehood. It has been proven that adherents of the imperial ideology of the "Russian world", disguising as scientific discourses, justify Muscovites' aggressive rejection of Ukraine and bloody crimes against it, discriminate against Ukrainian Studies, falsify and defame its achievements and representatives. It is emphasized that the demythologizing of history is one of the priority factors in the formation of the scientific worldview, national-state consciousness, and patriotism of Ukrainians. The continuation of the ideological and civilizational confrontation between Ukrainian and Russian narratives in the scientific, educational, and informational and media space is predicted. Ways to prevent a possible outbreak of Ukrainian hatred after the end of the hot phase of the war are indicated.