Fascist Ideology and Propaganda Mechanisms in Contemporary Russia

This peer-reviewed interdisciplinary study examines the role of propaganda and ideological narratives in shaping political perceptions and facilitating the emergence of collaborationist structures during armed conflict. Focusing on the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the article analyzes how state-driven information campaigns interact with local political dynamics in territories affected by occupation. Drawing on research in media studies, political communication, and conflict analysis, the study investigates the institutional and technological infrastructure through which propaganda narratives are disseminated. These mechanisms include state television broadcasting, digital media ecosystems, messaging platforms, and educational and cultural institutions that contribute to the formation of ideological environments during wartime. The research identifies several recurring narrative frameworks used in Russian political messaging, including historical reinterpretation, identity-based narratives emphasizing cultural and linguistic unity, geopolitical framing portraying the conflict as part of a broader confrontation with Western institutions, and delegitimization narratives directed at Ukrainian statehood. The article explores how these narratives circulate through a coordinated media infrastructure and how they interact with local actors in occupied territories. Particular attention is devoted to the relationship between propaganda systems and the formation of collaborationist political structures. The study analyzes how propaganda messaging contributes to the symbolic environment in which local political movements and administrative institutions aligned with occupation authorities emerge and seek legitimacy. At the same time, the research emphasizes that collaborationism cannot be explained solely through propaganda influence, as political opportunity structures, security conditions, economic incentives, and individual motivations also shape the dynamics of cooperation under occupation. By situating propaganda within a broader ecosystem of media governance, political institutions, and social dynamics, the article contributes to interdisciplinary discussions on information warfare, occupation governance, and the role of ideological communication in contemporary armed conflicts. The version deposited in Zenodo corresponds to the peer-reviewed scholarly publication and reflects the author’s original research without substantive modification.