A battle of Narratives: The evolution of Russian and Ukrainian Discourses and the Role of independent journalism

This thesis focuses on the first two years of the full war between Russia and Ukraine and analyses how the narratives of six Ukrainian and Russian leaders evolved between February 24th, 2022, and February 24th, 2024. The research examines the role of Ukrainian journalism through interviews with some of Ukraine’s leading investigative reporters and the strategies employed by reporters to remain independent throughout the conflict. By employing framing theory, public diplomacy theory, and propaganda theory, the speeches, social media posts, and interviews from key political and military figures have been analysed. The analyses reveal how the narratives and points of emphasis by Vladimir Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Sergei Shoigu, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dmytro Kuleba, and Valerii Zaluzhnyi changed over the 24 months examined. As normal life in Ukraine was put on hold, so was Ukrainian journalism. Initially, coverage focused entirely on the events on the ground and suspected war crimes over domestic corruption, but investigative journalists have since returned to investigate those in power. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how states use public diplomacy and propaganda during conflict and highlights the vital role of independent journalism during war.