All good on the left bank: Russian State narratives in occupied Kherson Oblast: How do Russian-appointed authorities depict society, war, politics and governance in Kherson Oblast in the context of Russian occupation, annexation and the 2024 presidential election?

This BA Thesis investigates how the Russian state depicts society, war, and governance in Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast, in the context of Russian annexation and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. Studying this is relevant in order to understand how Russia seeks to integrate Ukrainian regions, annexed in september 2022, into its broader political-cultural framework. It does so by analysing a selection of 143 Telegram messages posted in february to march 2024 by Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed governor in occupied Kherson, using a reflexive thematic analysis approach to qualitative data analysis. The findings are grouped in three overarching themes: governance, the war, and society. The Russian-appointed government is characterized as effective and responsive, serving the needs of the local population, as opposed to Ukrainian corruption and neglience. The war is depicted as a serie of decisive Russian triumphs over a weak and predatory Ukrainian military that intentionally...Show moreThis BA Thesis investigates how the Russian state depicts society, war, and governance in Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast, in the context of Russian annexation and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. Studying this is relevant in order to understand how Russia seeks to integrate Ukrainian regions, annexed in september 2022, into its broader political-cultural framework. It does so by analysing a selection of 143 Telegram messages posted in february to march 2024 by Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed governor in occupied Kherson, using a reflexive thematic analysis approach to qualitative data analysis. The findings are grouped in three overarching themes: governance, the war, and society. The Russian-appointed government is characterized as effective and responsive, serving the needs of the local population, as opposed to Ukrainian corruption and neglience. The war is depicted as a serie of decisive Russian triumphs over a weak and predatory Ukrainian military that intentionally targets civilians. Kherson society is depicted as having returned to a correct historical trajectory in Russia, with its people happily interacting with the various peoples and cultures of the Russian Federation. These findings contribute to a better understanding of Russia's conduct in occupied Ukraine and how Russia seeks to integrate Kherson into the Russian Federation.Show less

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All good on the left bank: Russian State narratives in occupied Kherson Oblast: How do Russian-appointed authorities depict society, war, politics and governance in Kherson Oblast in the context of Russian occupation, annexation and the 2024 presidential election?