Front Line and Frontline Cities During the Russian–Ukrainian War in the Context of Border and Urban Studies

This article elaborates on the concept of the front line in the context of border studies and consider the societal peculiarities of Ukrainian frontline cities compared to other Ukrainian cities at war, employing the methodology of a phenomenological analysis and systematizing the statistical data. Using the concept of a military “borderscape”, the paper examines the structural and daily aspects of living near the front line. Specifically, it discusses how distance from the front line influences the population’s decision to migrate or remain in frontline cities during the Russian-Ukrainian War. Desktop research employing qualitative comparative analysis reveals the peculiarities of Ukrainian frontline cities’ functioning in terms of population dynamics, higher education, culture, and the economy. The research reveals that frontline cities become logistical deadlocks under the influence of the front line, experiencing economic marginalization, population fluctuation (a temporary decrease in population when the front line approaches, followed by stabilization when it retreats), and stagnation of cultural life and education (with schoolchildren and students mainly learning online).