Shaping Western Perceptions: The Role of English-language Verified Telegram Channels in Framing the Narratives Around the Russia-Ukraine War.

In this study, we examine Telegram’s role as an information source on the Russia-Ukraine war, focusing broadly on how discussions on the platform may influence public opinion in the West. Specifically, we aimed to identify and study information-sharing practices of English-language verified Telegram channels, given their presumed audience in the West and their disproportionate impact on information-seeking and news consumption related to the war. Using a snowball sample of 21,907 Telegram channels, we identified 55 English-language verified channels linked to war-related content. Using a semi-automated topic analysis, we examined 125,840 public posts from these channels, all posted within the first year of the 2022 Russian invasion. While few channels exclusively focused on the war, our analysis found that far-right channels often echoed Kremlin-aligned narratives, aiming to discredit Western institutions and diminish support for Ukraine. We caution against relying on Telegram as a credible news source about the war, particularly for English-speaking users, due to the prevalence of low credibility and partisan content.