“Russian Warship, Go F*ck Yourself”

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to present and reflect on discursive themes about Ukraine and Russia using data from an archive of posts on social media in English, Russian, and Ukrainian collected since 24 February 2022. The social media posts fall into four main themes: (1) Ukrainian leadership as heroic and Russian leadership as villainous; (2) military and everyday Ukrainian civilians alike as heroic; (3) dispossession of life, health, and basic services; and (4) current and imagined repossession of land and liberty. The data show that in social media, positive images of Ukraine and Ukrainians are enhanced, and Ukrainians are more willing than ever before to forsake basic needs on the road to freedom. The data also show that, while social media affords identification with Ukraine that transcends borders, social media is a space where the need for clear boundaries between Ukraine and Russia is asserted.