The influence of pre-war Russian narratives on public opinion about Ukraine in the 2022 Ukraine-Russia war.

This study is dedicated to the analysis of psychological operations (PSYOP) in the digital environment on the YouTube and Facebook platforms, using the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2021–2022 as a case study. The aim of our research is to track which specific strategic narratives were used during the conflict, as well as how such narratives influence the formation of public opinion and the perception of the course of military actions.

The empirical basis of this study consists of posts and video materials from the YouTube and Facebook platforms, published between March 2021 and February 2022. The selection of materials was based on monitoring changes in the narrative surrounding the conflict and keyword searches. The collected data were processed using comparative and qualitative content analysis methods. Each video or text post was classified according to its primary plotlines, vocabulary, visual imagery, and overall message. To identify recurring themes, thematic analysis was employed, based on the Braun and Clarke model. During the evaluation process, recurring themes, keywords, and constructed narratives were extracted from the videos, subsequently grouped into separate categories of stable narratives, and systematized according to their functions and intended purposes within psychological operations.