The Politics of Propaganda in Putin’s Russia: A Study on the Treatment of Alexei Navalny

Abstract

During the Putin presidency, the Kremlin has tailored its propaganda to target opposition agents who pose a threat to the regime. This paper utilizes text as data methods to analyze the Kremlin propagandization of Alexei Navalny following his poisoning in August 2020. It first emphasizes the role of propaganda in present day Russia and links Kremlin propaganda to Alexei Navalny. This paper next analyzes and compares news articles on Alexei Navalny from the state-controlled news sources, RT, and Sputnik News, as well as from the independent news sources¸ RBC. This analysis further delves into the differences between state-controlled news source based on language of publication (English vs Russian). Findings from this research project indicate that the Kremlin utilizes three propaganda techniques to effectively transform opposition agents into the Kremlin’s own propaganda tools, specifically using figures such as Alexei Navalny to promote its own domestic and foreign policies. The paper concludes with speculation into the further use of text as data methods to better understand how the Kremlin propagandizes opposition agents to achieve Putin’s goals and ambitions.