Heroic and Patriotic Values of the Student Youth of Stavropol Krai: Unity, Variability, and Risks to Axiological Stability

The purpose of the article is to conduct a comparative analysis of the heroic and patriotic value orientations of student youth in the context of their gender and ethnic specificity as well as their attitude toward religion. Empirical data was obtained in the course of an online survey conducted in 2026 that included 1,200 respondents involving 18- to 24-year-old students ethnically diverse and of different confessions. Patriotic values in all solemnity have been revealed amidst the student youth of the region without regard to identity or faith. Overall, patriotic values were highly significant for respondents. Heroic ideals also played a prominent role, although the range of their assessments was wider in comparison to patriotic indicators. The core traditional values (family and Motherland) remain relevant for the young people. Positive religious identification is one of the foundations of axiological stability. The erosion of heroic and patriotic value orientations among non-religious youth increases the risks of deviant behaviour and social apathy in the sphere of social activity. The study argues for the necessity of developing new prospective patterns of civic service that ensure the incorporation of individualized demands of secular youth into the Russian society normative-value structure.