Instrumentalization of Pope Francis’s Anti-War Discourse in the Cognitive Warfare of the Russian Federation

Abstract This study examines the Russian Federation’s use of Pope Francis’s anti-war discourse as part of its cognitive warfare related to the war in Ukraine. The analysis is based on a dataset comprising statements published by Pope Francis and the Vatican during his pontificate, as well as articles published in selected pro-government Russian online media. The focus is on how these media construct a narrative around Pope Francis’s anti-war rhetoric. The aim of the study is to determine whether this discourse was used for cognitive purposes to disseminate false narratives, including fake news, that could influence the attitudes of Russian and Ukrainian citizens, as well as those of Western countries, toward the war in Ukraine.