Abstract
<jats:p>Natural and permanent sovereignization is impossible without consistent, professional and systematic work with the past. Understanding the historical path of the state and nation, creating a national historical grand narrative and discursive inclusion in the world historical process is no less important stage and sign of sovereignization than geopolitical sovereignization. For post-totalitarian countries and countries with a colonial past, this task turned out to be extremely difficult, because it involved professional dismantling of the totalitarian and colonial heritage. The work analyzes the conditions for the formation of the historical consciousness of Russians in the post-Soviet era and the methods of its political instrumentalization by the current political regime. It is shown that the politics of memory was an important element of the totalitarian turn, and manipulations of mass consciousness with the involvement of the tools of "historical wars" became not only the leading component of the strategy of preparing, inciting and escalating the Russian-Ukrainian war, but also of building a (neo)totalitarian system in Russia. Recommendations are provided regarding strengthening the adaptive capabilities of Ukrainian society and ensuring the foundations of state security in the context of information wars.</jats:p>