Socium

The article examines the perception of key events in Russian history by the citizens of the nowadays Russian and their impact on national identity, value orientations and attitudes towards the current political situation. The author claims that historical memory serves as the basis of national identity and a tool for consolidating society, especially in the face of external challenges (for example, the Special Military Operation, international isolation and sanctions), whereas the narrative of the national mobilization before the face of the external threats dominate dominates in the mass consciousness (Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the reunification of Crimea). And the liberal reforms of the 1990s (perestroika, transition to a market economy) are perceived as the least significant. So,6 after 2022, historical memory in Russia has become a key element of the ideology of sovereignty, minimizing the importance of globalization and emphasizing mobilization scenarios of the past. This reflects society's demand for an independent path of development in the context of international isolation.