STEREOTYPES AS A TOOL OF RUSCISM'S PROPAGANDA TO JUSTIFY ANTI-UKRAINIAN AGGRESSION

This article provides a comprehensive examination of the stereotypes employed by Russian propaganda to justify its military aggression against Ukraine. Central to the analysis are the historical and ideological foundations of myths surrounding the artificiality of Ukrainian statehood, Ukraine’s supposed lack of political independence, the denial of its distinct linguistic identity, and the persistent accusations of Nazism. The study delves into these propaganda narratives, particularly as articulated in Vladimir Putin’s article "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians," which was published shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has been used as an ideological framework to legitimize Russia’s aggressive actions. Employing historical and discourse analysis, the research explores how these stereotypes contribute to the formation of the ideology of ruscism and its role in perpetuating Russia's expansionist policies. The study illustrates how these narratives have been methodically applied to delegitimize Ukraine’s sovereignty and provide a pretext for military interventions. Furthermore, the article highlights how ruscism as an ideological construct intertwines historical revisionism and nationalist propaganda to maintain both domestic and international support for Russia’s actions. By analyzing these dynamics, the article seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the ideological machinery that underpins contemporary Russian aggression and the strategic use of historical myths in modern geopolitical confrontations. This work emphasizes the importance of countering these narratives in both academic and policy-making circles to combat the far-reaching impacts of such propaganda, as it is aimed not only at the Russian and Ukrainian populations but at the global informational space in general.