The Battle for Russia’s Rebirth: Interpreting Pro-War Critical Patriotism and Imperial-Nationalism on Telegram
Summary:
The Putin regime has developed an ambiguous relationship with Russian nationalism, which has been both a threat and a resource to the maintenance of its power. With the launch of the “Special Military Operation,” Russia’s national-patriot groups increased their profile as commentators on – and critics of – the war effort. This article analyses their content on Telegram – whose use has exploded inside Russia – and maps the discourses of this reinvigorated and politicized pro-war imperial-nationalist network. Our findings show that these channels share important commonalities in both their critiques of state policy — “critical patriotism” — and their propagation of an imperial-nationalist imaginary. Their hardline illiberal demands put pressure on the Kremlin to be less pragmatic and more ideologically consistent – at home and abroad. The key difference among the clusters within the network was between those still engaging in serious anti-regime dissent and those moderating their criticism to secure new niches in wartime conditions. We underscore the agency of these actors in their wartime stances toward the regime, interpret their radical pro-war positions, and consider their overall role in wartime Russia's information environment.
- Published year: 2026
- Full version: Read here
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/nps.2026.10168
- Publisher: Cambridge University Press
- Page count: 33
- Language: English
- Journal: Nationalities Papers