THE SECOND ANNVERSARY OF THE FULL-SCALE INVASION IN UKRAINE: LINGUISTIC IMAGE OF RUSSIA AS AN ENEMY IN ANALYTICAL ARTICLES OF CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF UKRAINIAN STUDIES

Abstract

Summary. The article describes the components of the linguistic image of Russia as an enemy in the modern Russian-Ukrainian war on the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The research material is analytical articles by Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies scholars, published at the Ukrainian Studies Forum in February–March 2024, reflecting the analysis of leading Canadian and American publications of this period. By means of conceptual image analysis of research material, the following components of the linguistic image of Russia as an enemy country are singled out: country-aggressor – a state that carries out aggression, resorts to the use of armed force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine; country-occupier: carries out military occupation of Ukrainian territories; country-criminal: violates international law and commits criminal acts; country-terrorist: uses or supports terrorism as a tool of state policy, in particular nuclear blackmail, targeted attacks on the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine; country-regime where power is concentrated in the hands of one person and his surrounding, and repressive methods are used to maintain power; country-propagandist: creates and spreads propaganda against Ukraine; country-imperialist: seeks to restore or expand its control over other states with the help of military force, economic and political pressure; country-militarist: gives priority to the development of military power, popularizes the idea of force in international relations; country-threat: poses a threat to the security of other countries due to aggressive policies and military actions, destabilization of regions; country-outlaw: violates international law, receives condemnation from the international community, diplomatic restrictions, sanctions. The study revealed that the North American mass media, covering the second anniversary of the Russian invasion, focus on the paradoxical situation in the war: despite Russia’s economic advantage, the potential of Western allies could balance the forces, but the internal problems of the USA and the EU delay critical aid to Ukraine in the conditions of a prolonged war. Lexical units denoting the enemy state form the image of Russia as an enemy-country in American and Canadian publications. The linguistic image of modern Russia in the mass media reflects Russia’s aggressive actions and not only influences the formation of world public opinion, but also contributes to the establishment of Russia’s negative reputation in the global context. At the same time, such language representation acts as a catalyst for uniting the international community around a common task – confronting the aggressor country, which undermines the foundations of the global security system and openly disregards the principles of international law.