The image of the Ukrainian military in 2022–2024 and the connective nature of its formation
The image of the Ukrainian military in 2022–2024 and the connective nature of its formation

Summary/Abstract: This study validates the hypothesis that the representation of the image of a Ukrainian fighter in social media is predominantly shaped by ordinary users, thereby underscoring the connecting nature of this image. For an in-depth study of the transformation of the image of a fighter, we used a combination of quantitative discourse analysis and qualitative narrative analysis. The study shows how, in less than 3 years, the image of military representatives has undergone profound narrative transformations, including tonality adjustments: if in the first months after February 24, 2022, the most popular statement was the statement of valor, efficiency, and professionalism of the military, then in the future attention increased to negative features: the Soviet way of thinking, neglect of preparation or risks, toxicity of communication and methods of work, etc. The authors’ study of such judgments made it possible to assert that the representation of a fighter’s image in social media largely depends on which users are more willing to form this image at a given moment, as well as on important social events that trigger its discussion.

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