Sprachliche Propaganda- und Manipulationsstrategien im Kontext Afrikas während des russischen Konflikts mit der Ukraine und dem Westen (2022–2024)
Linguistic Propaganda and Manipulation Strategies in the Context of Africa during the Russian Conflict with Ukraine and the West (2022–2024)

Summary/Abstract: Persuasive communication, manipulation, and disinformation constitute central categories of political language, particularly in the context of military conflicts. Against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this article examines the linguistic strategies employed by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for propagandistic purposes in its relations with African states. The study addresses a research gap, as Russian foreign policy propaganda directed at African third countries has rarely been analyzed from a linguistic perspective. The aim of the analysis is to identify the linguistic means used to legitimize, explain, and justify the war and to reveal their structural similarities to historical propaganda discourses. Methodologically, the study is based on a qualitative discourse-linguistic analysis of official statements by Russian state officials published on the websites of the Russian embassies in Berlin and Vienna. These texts are compared contrastively with documented linguistic strategies characteristic of Nazi propaganda before and during the Second World War. The results demonstrate a systematic use of linguistic devices such as evaluative lexis, metaphorical framing, dichotomization, and narrative topoi. It is concluded that traditional propagandistic language patterns continue to function effectively in updated forms, contributing to the stabilization of political narratives. The findings offer practical insights for critical discourse analysis and the development of media literacy.

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