Justifying War: Putin’s Legitimation Strategies for the Invasion of Ukraine

Öz

This article examines the discursive strategies used by Vladimir Putin to justify Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, situating his rhetoric within the broader context of legitimation practices in hybrid regimes. Drawing on Critical Discourse Analysis and the frameworks developed by Reyes (2011), Van Leeuwen (2007, 2008), Wodak (2009), and Mazepus et al. (2016), the study systematically analyzes major speeches, policy statements, and official narratives produced by the Kremlin between 2014 and 2025. The analysis identifies five core strategies employed in Putin’s public discourse: appeals to emotion (especially fear and victimhood), projection of hypothetical catastrophic futures, rationalization through legal and logical argumentation, invocation of authoritative voices (from state institutions to referenda), and the reframing of aggression as altruistic protection. The article demonstrates how Putin’s regime manufactures legitimacy, marginalizes dissent, and constructs consent for war. The findings reveal the mechanics of legitimation in contemporary Russia, and the broader power of political language to shape perceptions of necessity, morality, and destiny in times of crisis.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Russia
• War in Ukraine
• Political Legitimation
• Propaganda and War Rhetoric

Savaşı Meşrulaştırmak: Putin'in Ukrayna İşgalini Meşrulaştırma Stratejileri

Öz

Bu makale, Vladimir Putin'in Rusya'nın 2022'de Ukrayna'ya yaptığı tam ölçekli işgali meşrulaştırmak için kullandığı söylemsel stratejileri inceleyerek, onun retoriğini melez rejimlerdeki meşrulaştırma uygulamalarının daha geniş bağlamına yerleştiriyor. Eleştirel Söylem Analizi ve Reyes (2011), Van Leeuwen (2007, 2008), Wodak (2009) ve Mazepus ve diğerleri (2016) tarafından geliştirilen çerçevelerden yararlanarak, bu çalışma 2014 ile 2025 yılları arasında Kremlin tarafından yapılan önemli konuşmaları, politika açıklamalarını ve resmi anlatıları sistematik olarak analiz etmektedir. Analiz, Putin'in kamu söyleminde kullanılan beş temel stratejiyi belirlemektedir: duygulara (özellikle korku ve mağduriyet) hitap etme, varsayımsal felaket senaryoları sunma, hukuki ve mantıksal argümanlarla rasyonalizasyon, otoriter seslere (devlet kurumlarından referandumlara kadar) başvurma ve saldırganlığı fedakarlıkçı bir koruma olarak yeniden çerçeveleme. Makale, Putin rejiminin meşruiyeti nasıl ürettiğini, muhalefeti nasıl marjinalleştirdiğini ve savaşa rıza oluşturduğunu göstermektedir. Bulgular, çağdaş Rusya'da meşrulaştırmanın mekanizmalarını ve kriz zamanlarında gereklilik, ahlak ve kader algılarını şekillendirmek için siyasi dilin daha geniş gücünü ortaya koymaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Rusya
• Ukrayna’da Savaş
• Siyasi Meşruiyet
• Propaganda ve Savaş Retoriği
• Melez Otoriterlik

Kaynakça

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