The architectural landmarks of German and Ukrainian settlers in the Boikivske village community through the prism of information warfare

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the architectural heritage of German and Ukrainian settlers in the Boikivska
settlement community as carriers of historical memory and symbolic meaning, to reflect transformations of local identity, and
to demonstrate their role in contemporary information warfare amid the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The novelty of the study lies in combining traditional historical and architectural analysis with digital geospatial intelligence
methods (GEOINT, IMINT), which allowed for the identification of previously unknown or partially destroyed colonial
and Boiko architectural objects, the reconstruction of their history and semantic codes, and the tracing of changes in the ethnic
and cultural composition of the population. The methodology includes, alongside typical historical-genetic (developmental)
and typological analysis, source-critical and iconographic methods of specialized historical disciplines, spatial research using
Google Earth, Google Maps, and satellite imagery from various periods, as well as cross-referencing archival documents,
topographic maps, and local testimonies.
The results show that architectural objects of German Lutheran colonists, such as the dairy plant in Boikivske and the
settlement of Michurine (formerly Grintal), were transformed after the war into Soviet industrial and residential complexes and
later became carriers of local Ukrainian identity following the resettlement of Boikos and Lemkos. These structures preserve
traces of diverse cultural and economic influences, serving as elements of cultural resistance and evidence of the enduring
Ukrainian presence in the Donetsk region.
The study concludes that even objects without official protection status are valuable carriers of historical and cultural
heritage and require documentation, preservation, and inclusion in scholarly discourse.