Authors

Tatiana Golova²; Liliia Sablina¹;  ¹ Central European University, Austria;  ² Centre for East European and International Studies, Germany

Discussion

The 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia polarised Russian-speaking migrant communities in Germany. It led not only to the emergence of solidarity networks with the aim of assisting Ukrainian refugees and condemning Russia's military aggression, but also to a concerning surge in what can be termed ‘pro-war mobilisation‘ that manifested both offline and online. 

This paper sheds light on the role of social networking platforms in facilitating pro-war mobilisation in Germany and the diversity of related discursive practices. It focuses on various channels on Telegram, the platform that plays an integral part in the Russian hybrid media system. It appeals not only to Russian-speakers but also to ‘counter publics‘ in the West, partly due to its claims to be censorship-free and secure.

Pro-war Telegram channels attracted a large number of followers. In response to the anticipated rise of Russophobia, many Russian speakers in Germany leveraged Telegram to establish channels aligning with Russia's hegemonic discourses, normalise divisive, and, at times, discriminatory rhetoric, and organise street rallies. Simultaneously, these groups exhibited a wide spectrum of views, spanning from overtly pro-Kremlin positions to rather leftist anti-NATO stances. 

By applying the Discourse Network Analysis approach, we aim to unveil how Russian pro-war discourses are perpetuated and evolved through user-generated content by Germany-based actors, with the focus on their different positionalities, how these emerge and how collective action frames are formed. This research offers critical insights into the dynamics of these networks and their influence on the socio-political landscape of Russian-speaking communities in Germany.