Evolution of wartime discourse on Telegram: A comparative study of Ukrainian and Russian policymakers' communication before and after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine
It provides insights into how policymakers adapt online communication during war, addressing a gap in understanding elite-driven discourse in the social media era, though it is incremental as it applies existing methods to a new context.
This study analyzed Telegram posts from Ukrainian and Russian policymakers (2019-2024) to examine changes in communication after Russia's 2022 invasion, finding a sharp increase in activity, with Ukrainians initially focusing on war topics that declined over time, while Russians avoided war discussions to distract attention.
This study examines elite-driven political communication on Telegram during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, the first large-scale European war in the social media era. Using a unique dataset of Telegram public posts from Ukrainian and Russian policymakers (2019-2024), we analyze changes in communication volume, thematic content, and actor engagement following Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion. Our findings show a sharp increase in Telegram activity after the invasion, particularly among ruling-party policymakers. Ukrainian policymakers initially focused on war-related topics, but this emphasis declined over time In contrast, Russian policymakers largely avoided war-related discussions, instead emphasizing unrelated topics, such as Western crises, to distract public attention. We also identify differences in communication strategies between large and small parties, as well as individual policymakers. Our findings shed light on how policymakers adapt to wartime communication challenges and offer critical insights into the dynamics of online political discourse during times of war.