Lehkodukh V.V. Features of Russian Propaganda during the Aggression in Eastern Ukraine (April 2014 – February 2022). Qualification research paper (manuscript). Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the field of knowledge 03 – Humanities, specialty 032 – History and Archaeology. Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Army Academy, Lviv, 2026. The chosen topic is of significant scholarly and societal relevance, as Russian propaganda became one of the key instruments of hybrid aggression against Ukraine, directly influencing the course of hostilities, the international perception of the armed conflict, and the state of public consciousness. The aim of the research is to provide a comprehensive theoretical and methodological understanding of the approaches to identifying the specificity, mechanisms, and consequences of Russian propaganda during the armed aggression in Eastern Ukraine from April 2014 to February 2022. The research objectives include: analysing the state of scholarly development of the problem, classifying the source base, and defining the methodology for studying the essence of Russian propaganda; revealing the mechanisms of Russia’s information influence on Ukrainian citizens, distinguishing between manipulation technologies targeting civilians and psychological operations against Ukrainian military personnel; identifying the specific features of propaganda aimed at Russia’s domestic audience; examining the evolution of Russian narratives for foreign audiences; establishing correlations between information campaigns and the dynamics of hostilities in Eastern Ukraine during the studied period; assessing the consequences of propaganda influence and formulating recommendations for improving the system of countering. The methodological basis of the study includes the principles of historicism, objectivity, scientific validity, and systemic analysis, which make it possible to consider Russian propaganda as a complex multi-level phenomenon within the context of hybrid warfare and armed aggression against Ukraine. The research employs general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, as well as special historical methods – problem-chronological, comparative-historical, and typological to identify the stages, forms, and content of the propaganda activities of the Russian Federation in 2014–2022. The study applies an original methodology for analysing disinformation mechanisms, allowing the identification of the specific features of information influence on different target audiences. The object of the study is Russian propaganda and disinformation. The subject of the study is the content, forms, and methods of Russian propaganda in the context of aggression against Ukraine from April 2014 to February 2022. The scientific novelty of the results lies in the fact that, for the first time, the dissertation: systematises and typologises the key narratives of Russian propaganda based on the differentiation of target audiences; substantiates the functioning of propaganda as an integrated system of ideological and psychological determination of society. The analysis of the state of scientific development of the topic showed that, despite its high relevance and scientific significance, the problem of the features of Russian propaganda in the context of aggression in the East of Ukraine remains insufficiently comprehensively studied in Ukrainian and foreign military-historical science. It was also established that the political and ideological work conducted among the personnel of the Russian armed forces was based on the dehumanization of the image of the Ukrainian soldier and the legitimization of the concept of "protecting compatriots." The research determined that propaganda aimed at Russian citizens transformed the aggressive war, in the public consciousness, into a "just liberation mission." The theoretical content of the dissertation corresponds to the current state of historical knowledge and incorporates relevant theories, concepts, and terminology of the field, forming both general and specialized competencies required of future lecturers and Doctors of Philosophy in the field of Humanities (03), specialty 032 "History and Archaeology." The practical value of the findings lies in their applicability to research and educational activities, the development of academic courses and methodological materials, as well as the formulation of recommendations for countering propaganda and disinformation in the sphere of national and information security. The dissertation was discussed and approved at a meeting of the Department of History of the Personnel Psychological Support Institute of the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Army Academy. The main findings of the study were presented at ten international academic conferences.
