This paper is dedicated to the genesis and function of historical narratives used in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The efficiency of these narratives results from their rootedness in the historical consciousness of the majority of the Russian population. Consequently, the formation of this historical consciousness must also be examined. The aim is to show under which discourse-semantic conditions the shift from the “brother and sister nation” discourse to Ukrainophobia was successful, without cognitive dissonance or counter-discourses arising.
