Authors

Viktor Lambin¹;  ¹ University of Helsinki, Finland

Discussion

The full-scale  Russian invasion of  Ukraine in  2022  was followed by aggressive and antagonistic enemy rhetoric in  Russian national discourse. Among others,  the two main religions in  Russia, Orthodoxy and Islam, have been also saturated with enemy discourses related to the war against Ukraine. Both Orthodox and Islamic officials have been contributing to the securitisation of Others in national discourse by articulating Others as enemies or threats to Russia and its people. Religious dualism of evil and good corresponds well with the black/white Russian enemy propaganda which has been on the rise for years before  Russia launched a  full-scale war against  Ukraine. This presentation intends to provide a brief history of enemy images in Russian national discourse and explain why Russian elites employ enemy rhetoric, involving Orthodoxy and Islam.

Please note, that this paper submission is part of the Religion and Spirituality in Russia and Eastern Europe Study Group