Resisting an Occupying Regime: The Case of Ukraine’s ‘Yellow Ribbon’ Movement

• In Event: War in Ukraine and Its Implications

Abstract

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, new regions of Ukraine fell under occupation by a hostile, authoritarian regime. When parts of Ukraine, such as Bucha and Irpin, were liberated later in the spring of 2022, the extreme violence and repression faced by Ukrainians living under Russian occupation became clear to the world. We know that the large majority of Ukrainians in the regions that remain occupied were not supportive of Russian occupation (based on survey data pre-February 2024), so some resistance to this occupation is to be expected. How do civilians in these occupied territories protest occupation, despite the dangers associated with resistance to Russia?
After pro-Ukrainian rallies in Kherson in the spring of 2022 were violently dispersed by Russian forces, using tear gas and stun grenades, the opportunities for Ukrainians in these territories to resist occupation seemed more limited than ever. Nevertheless, starting from April 2022, the Yellow Ribbon movement emerged, connected with a Telegram channel of the same name. Soon, citizens not only in Kherson, but many other towns and cities across occupied regions of Ukraine began hanging and graffitiing yellow ribbons as a symbol of resistance and protest against Russian forces. Over the course of that year, the movement evolved, incorporating new symbols, and organising a number of other initiatives such as petitions, campaigns, and online rallies. This paper traces the emergence of the Yellow Ribbon movement, the evolution of its repertoires, and the diffusion of its campaigns across occupied regions. It also reflects upon what the case of the Yellow Ribbon movement can teach us about contemporary resistance to occupation and authoritarianism more broadly.

Author

• Emma Mateo, New York University