Influence of the Russian Propaganda on the Image Creation of the Ukrainian Authority

Abstract

Propaganda has been and remains one of the most effective tools to influence the internal and external audience, those who make important government decisions. Due to this, its methods are constantly being expanded and improved, and modern mass media is an effective channel for disseminating propaganda messages to target audiences. The Russian Federation is the "most skilled" subject of propaganda, which exerts propaganda influence through specially created media structures, in particular the RT media holding. Novelty, plausibility, accessibility, brightness, differentiation according to the target audiences, systematization, comprehensiveness, repeatability, persuasiveness are considered to be the principles on which RT propaganda messages are based.

The article analyzes the influence of Russian propaganda on the creation of the image of the Ukrainian authority (President, Government, Verkhovna Rada, Armed Forces). News articles on the RT website on the topic of “Ukraine” for 2019 were processed. The conducted content analysis and analysis of metaphors have allowed us to conclude that RT purposefully forms a negative image of the Ukrainian authority in order to divide Ukrainian society. Imagelogems, as image-markers, are tied to the events in Ukraine, and they are based on the negative stereotypes of Ukrainians about the state authority. Excessive emotionality, which is achieved through the use of labels, pejorative vocabulary, evaluative judgments, makes the message bright, attractive, impressive. Labels and pejoratives “denote” objects, people, events, and later these words become a “reality” that is easy to remember and is reproduced automatically. The recipient begins to perform the function of a propagandist, which, in turn, increases the impact on the target audience. Pejoratives and emotional redundancy serve as a means of criticism, ridicule, form an image of weakness, underdevelopment, inexperience, etc.