Political Communication, Political Discourse and Rhetoric
Odessa I. I. Mechnikov National University
E-mail: dmitrypoble@ukr.net
Abstract: The primary purpose of the article is to indicate the increasing role of “the war of ideas” in modern conflicts of a different kind. A brief historical overview has been given to draw a certain parallel between old Prussian-Danish and recent Ukrainian-Russian conflicts, as well as to indicate some rhetorical means used to “excuse” violence of territorial integrity, political independence, and inviolability of national borders. The global scope of Russian information warfare is shown based on the example of Germany and the USA. The article has the intent to explore the degree, to which Russian-speaking people have adopted pro-Russia propaganda themes in their Twitter language. The recent research is based on the analytic works by Dr. Susanne Spahn with an independent journalists group from Friedrich Naumann Fund: for Freedom in Germany, and Todd C. Helmus, Elizabeth Bodine-Baron, with a group of scientists from Rand Analytic Center in the USA, Maria Snegovaya from Institute for the Study of War in the USA, Keir Giles and James Sherr from Chathom House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Great Britain), Anthony Seaboyer from Royal Military College of Canada, Georgii Pocheptsov in Ukraine. Some examples are given based on US Senate intelligence investigations on Russia’s proving interference in the 2016 presidential elections. The brief description of the analysis made by a US non-partisan center is considered and some recommendations are replicated.