The Kremlin has long employed disinformation and propaganda as strategic tools to further its geopolitical aims.1 Amidst the conflict in Ukraine, the battleground has expanded beyond physical borders to the digital sphere, where Russia actively seeks to shape both domestic and international opinion in its favor, influencing alliances and rivalries. This project brief explores Russia’s narratives surrounding significant events in the war in Ukraine and examines the evolution of a dominant pro-Kremlin narrative over time in the context of these events. In doing so, it highlights how Russia navigates significant developments as it seeks to gain strategic advantage in great power competition.
The brief provides insights on the discourse surrounding three key events—the outbreak of war with the Battle of Kherson, the civilian massacre in Bucha, and a significant geopolitical development of NATO extending its membership invitation to Sweden and Finland—based on the analysis of official Twitter accounts linked to the Russian Embassy in the United States, the Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom, and Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
Publication Information
Anastasia Berdusis, Micayla Billouin, Salma Bouziani, Ethan Kirk, and Elizabeth Radziszewski. 2024. "Russian Government’s Narratives on Twitter in the Context of Events in the Ukraine War." College Park, MD: START (December).