Authors

Discussion

The manipulation of public sentiment through various government-controlled narratives has become a hallmark of Russian domestic policy during the war in Ukraine. This paper focuses on one such mechanism: the state’s exploitation of bank scams and related narratives to foster division and mistrust within Russian society. By examining how regional governmental bodies and Kremlin-aligned propaganda agencies emphasise the threat of bank fraud, the paper explores how these tactics contribute to an atmosphere of fear and suspicion, ultimately undermining social cohesion.

We define this approach as a "politics of mistrust"  - a strategy where political actors (typically governments or political elites) actively promote mistrust among the population. It involves deliberately creating or amplifying fear, suspicion, and division within society to maintain control, prevent collective action, or divert attention from political failures.

Unlike the politics of state-sponsored polarisation, this approach subtly sows distrust between citizens, making it more difficult for collective action or dissent to arise. Bank scams, while a genuine concern, are increasingly framed not just as isolated incidents but as systemic threats, turning everyday financial interactions into a source of anxiety.

This study will analyse available  internal communication messages from regional government bodies alongside the output of key Kremlin-controlled media outlets after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The research will focus on how these actors craft and disseminate messages about bank scams to deepen societal mistrust during the war. Using content analysis, the study will trace how the Russian state frames the issue of bank scams and investigates its broader social effects.

By revealing the ways in which state narratives about financial fraud are used to divide and control the population, this paper contributes to an understanding of the tactics used by the Russian government to shape public opinion during the Ukraine conflict.