Propaganda frames in Russian media: A case study of the Russian-Ukrainian war coverage in RIA Novosti
Abstract
The thesis examines the use of frames in modern media texts and their role in shaping public opinion in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on the example of the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. The conflict began in February 2022 when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. The study uses content and critical discourse analysis to analyse RIA Novosti articles. It concludes that they use four media frames such as "Changing Global Power Dynamics", "Saving the Russian World", "Nationalism", and "Historical", to create a favourable image of Russia and justify its military intervention in Ukraine. The study shows how state-affiliated media can manipulate public opinion and justify military intervention by creating specific frameworks and discourses, emphasising the importance of maintaining editorial independence and journalistic integrity, especially in conflict zones. The study concluded that there is a need for future research to examine how RIA Novosti's coverage influences public opinion and how other state-sponsored media cover conflicts.