Soft Power on the Frontlines: How Ukrainian Cultural Diplomacy Confronts Russian Disinformation
2/2025
Authors: Oleksiy Hovpun, Valerii Marchenko, Sergey V. Petkov, Yurii Moroziuk & Vasyl Kovtash
Citation: Hovpun, O., Marchenko, V., Petkov, S. V., Moroziuk, Y., & Kovtash, V. (2025). Soft Power on the Frontlines: How Ukrainian Cultural Diplomacy Confronts Russian Disinformation. Mediální studia 19(2), 28–50. https://doi.org/10.65502/2-2025.02
Abstract: During hybrid warfare, when disinformation is one of the key threats to national security and social cohesion, cultural diplomacy is emerging as an effective strategic communication tool that can build trust, consolidate communities, and neutralise manipulative narratives. In this regard, the aim of the study is to analyse the potential of cultural diplomacy in countering Russia’s disinformation by integrating soft power into the state’s strategic communication system. The methodological basis is a mixed approach that combines content analysis of information campaigns, case studies of cultural projects implemented during the period of hybrid aggression, in-depth interviews with experts in public diplomacy, and statistical assessment of the effectiveness of cultural initiatives in changing public attitudes. The study covers the Ukrainian and European experience of using cultural instruments as counter-narrative tools aimed at increasing media literacy, reducing susceptibility to hostile propaganda, and restoring the country’s positive image in the international space. The results demonstrate that the most effective are multichannel cultural strategies that combine offline and digital formats. Moreover, they should be based on the principles of local engagement and mutual trust, while integrating elements of education and civic communication. Finally, cultural diplomacy should be viewed as a soft power tool and a component of a holistic system of strategic communication that ensures resistance to disinformation.
Keywords: cultural diplomacy ■ strategic communication ■ disinformation ■ hybrid warfare ■ soft power ■ media literacy ■ narrative analysis