Language and national identity as a foreword for ensuring national security

The object of research is the transformational processes of the national identity of Ukrainians, the role of language in this process in the context of national security. The methodological base is made up of general scientific methods: an analytical review of scientific works of leading Ukrainian and foreign scientists on the structure, stages of formation and factors that determine national identity; analysis of the results of a survey of Ukrainians during 2005/06 to the present; generalizations and synthesis of the obtained observations and comparisons to clarify the role of language in the process of formation of national identity in the context of national security. It was found that language is a key factor, which is the basis for identification with a particular nation of an individual, affects the security of the nation as a whole. It has been proven that identification with the Ukrainian nation depends entirely on the level of proficiency, use and knowledge of the Ukrainian language. The regions where the indicator was the lowest gave an erroneous identification, that is, a reason for the neighboring state to consider Russian-speaking representatives of the Russian ethnic group. It is determined that one of the key moments in the process of forming a national identity was a full-scale invasion, which prompted a more conscious choice of the language of communication in various areas, in particular, in everyday life, at work. The analyzed data also showed a gradual increase in the competitiveness of the Ukrainian language as a factor contributing to the formation of a conscious nation capable of protecting the security and national interests of the state.