| Abstract [eng] |
This study examines how Russian state-controlled media constructed and disseminated propaganda narratives in the digital sphere during the 2020 protests in Belarus. Belarus occupies a strategically important geopolitical position for Russia as an intermediary between East and West, making its political stability and continued presence within Russia’s sphere of influence a key priority for the Kremlin. Although historical, cultural, and political ties facilitate shared propaganda frameworks, Russo-Belarusian relations are marked by asymmetry, dependency, and pressure-dynamics that became especially visible during the 2020 political crisis. The research focuses on how contemporary authoritarian regimes adapt their communication strategies to the digital media environment. Rather than relying solely on direct censorship, these regimes increasingly employ algorithmic amplification, selective framing, and the strategic management of competing narratives. Such approaches enable subtle manipulation of public opinion while maintaining a façade of pluralism. The 2020 Belarusian protests provide a particularly useful case for analyzing these dynamics, as they posed a real threat to regime stability and triggered an intensification of media strategies. Special attention is given to the use of contradictory or internally inconsistent discourses as a strategic tool of authoritarian communication. These discourses allow regimes to maintain ideological flexibility, legitimize conflicting positions - such as sovereignty alongside external intervention and hinder the formation of coherent alternative interpretations. In the fragmented digital media environment, algorithm-driven content distribution and information overload enable such narratives to coexist without direct confrontation. The study highlights the central role of state news portals as primary sources of official discourse, where core ideological frames and dominant narratives are formulated. These narratives are subsequently adapted and disseminated through social media platforms, particularly Telegram, which has become a key infrastructure for authoritarian propaganda. Telegram’s communicative flexibility, emotional messaging style, limited moderation, and capacity for audience segmentation make it especially conducive to narrative control rather than overt information suppression. The findings show that Russian state media increasingly operate through narrative competition rather than information bans. By flooding the information space with ideologically aligned content emphasizing stability, delegitimizing protests, and framing events as the result of external (Western) threats, authoritarian regimes make it increasingly difficult for audiences to distinguish factual reporting from ideological interpretation. The analysis demonstrates how these discursive strategies contribute to the legitimation of authoritarian rule both domestically and internationally. Overall, the study contributes to broader academic debates on authoritarian resilience, digital propaganda, and information control in the post-Soviet space, revealing how modern authoritarianism functions through coordinated yet fragmented narrative ecosystems rather than centralized, monolithic messaging. |
