INVESTIGATION OF METHODS OF ANTI-UKRAINIAN RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA IN INFORMATION WARS AGAINST UKRAINE

Abstract

The aim of the article is a comprehensive informational and psychological analysis of the methods of anti-Ukrainian Russian propaganda in the information wars against Ukraine. Research methods: documentary analysis and generalization of legal, sociological, political, psychological information, as well as the practice of anti-Ukrainian Russian propaganda. Results: studied the mechanisms of information and psychological effects of propaganda on the population in order to mythologize the mass consciousness and its transfer to the opposite picture of the world. Propaganda myths create a virtual reality, in the webs of which fall not only the masses, but also its leaders. It is on the basis of myths about the «genocide in Donbas», «fraternal Ukrainian people who must be freed from the dictates of nationalists and Bandera», «creation of Ukraine in earths of Russia», «Ukraine and NATO were going to attack Donbas and Crimea», «Ukrainian people love Russia and Putin and will meet the Russian army with flowers, bread and salt» President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin has decided to attack Ukraine. At the same time, an evil joke with the Kremlin leader played a myth about the «strong», «invincible» army of the Russian Federation and the weak army of Ukraine. Mythologizing is closely linked to the manipulation of traditional symbols and stereotypes. So, when Russian citizens, or its propagandists, or its leaders, manipulatively call Ukrainians «fascists», «Nazis» etc., it is in fact a completely meaningless marker that is not based on objective knowledge of fascism or Nazism. This is just a marker of the enemy, which, according to manipulators, can and should be destroyed. Discussion: a comprehensive informational and psychological analysis of the methods of anti-Ukrainian Russian propaganda in the information wars against Ukraine allows to systematically formulate the directions of counter-propaganda work.