Russian Narratives: Introduction – Stories of Power

 A special miniseries from the podcast 4 Minutes reveals how the Russian Federation uses words as weapons. We focus on narratives – stories that reshape reality, divide society, and undermine trust in democratic institutions. Step by step, we explore how these narratives arise, why they work, and how to resist them. Each episode is about four minutes long and focuses on a specific story, claim, or tactic of manipulation. This series is for anyone who wants to understand not only propaganda but also how today’s battles are fought with words, not weapons. 

Transcript

Welcome to a new special mini-series within the 4 Minutes podkast. Today, you're about to hear a longer introductory episode that will walk you through what to expect in the coming weeks, why this topic matters, and how words, information, and power are connected. We'll be focusing on narratives spread by Russia—stories that are far from innocent tales. They are carefully constructed tools designed to influence how people think. Not just in Russia, but also in Europe, America, Africa, and even right here where you are.

The word "narrative" may sound a bit abstract, but its essence is simple. It's a story. Not necessarily made up, but adjusted in such a way that it evokes a particular impression. It can be based on true facts, but the selection of those facts, their order, and the tone can completely change how we perceive the information. Narratives are not just descriptions of events. They are a framework that tells us who the hero is, who the villain is, what’s right, and what’s wrong. And in the hands of political or media power, these stories become a very powerful weapon.

The Russian Federation invests huge amounts of time, money, and energy in creating and spreading narratives. These stories shape public opinion not only within Russia, but also abroad. They are spread through state-controlled media like RT and Sputnik, through diplomatic statements, online forums, anonymous social media accounts, videos, memes, and often through people who have no idea they’re helping to spread foreign propaganda. The purpose of these narratives is to create confusion, to sow distrust in institutions and the media, to divide society, and to weaken democratic structures.

In this series, we will explore step by step what these narratives look like, how they work, and why they are effective. This is not going to be just theoretical talk. Each episode will focus on a specific narrative. For example, the idea that Russia is the victim of Western aggression. Or that NATO is a dangerous alliance surrounding Russia. Or that Ukraine is, in fact, an artificial state that should have never existed. Or that the West is morally decaying. These narratives are not random. They are part of a long-term strategy. And the better we understand them, the less power they hold over us.

We’ll start with the basics. We’ll explain what exactly a narrative is, how it differs from information and from disinformation. We’ll show how the human mind works, why we tend to believe stories that confirm our existing views, and why it’s so difficult to break out of a certain way of thinking once we’ve accepted it. We’ll also look at what information warfare is, how it’s described by Russian strategists, and why it's not just about truth, but also about creating chaos. We’ll talk about the history of Russian propaganda—from the time of the Tsars, through the Soviet era, to today’s hybrid model that blends traditional state propaganda with modern digital tools.

We’ll also take a look behind the scenes. Into the world of so-called troll farms, where hundreds of people are paid to write comments, create posts, send messages, and deliberately interfere in the public space. We’ll explain how media channels that spread pro-Russian content in different languages work while pretending to be independent. We’ll see how these messages find their way into mainstream media and how people share them further—often in good faith.

Another part of the series will focus on narratives about Russia itself. Such as the claim that Russia is the last defender of traditional values. That it protects family, faith, and the homeland from a corrupted West. Or that Russia has a historical mission to be a great power, even if surrounded by enemies. We’ll also look at Russia’s celebrated history, which is often used as a justification for present-day policies. For example, the Second World War and the victory over Nazism play a key role in Russia’s self-image, and serve as a basis for other stories—such as the idea of fighting alleged new Nazis, this time in Ukraine.

The series will take a deep look at Russian narratives surrounding the war in Ukraine. We’ll explain how and why the story of denazification emerged. What it means to "save Russian-speaking populations." Why Russia claims Ukraine is a threat and a Western puppet. We’ll explore conspiracy stories that claim Ukraine was developing secret biological weapons or that the war was provoked by the West to fuel the arms industry. We’ll trace how these narratives evolve over time and how they adapt to current events.

We won’t forget the narratives aimed directly at European citizens. Stories that claim the European Union is broken. That the United States manipulates the world for its own interests. That Western society is corrupt, lost, filled with violence and chaos. These stories feed populism, undermine solidarity, and fuel division. Many of them are not entirely fabricated. They often draw from real problems, but exaggerate, distort, and exploit them.

At the end of the series, we’ll reflect on what we can do. How we can defend ourselves, how to recognize manipulation, how to verify information, and how to build our own resistance against the influence of foreign narratives. We’ll also discuss the role of education, journalistic ethics, and open public debate.

Each episode in this series will last approximately four minutes. The texts are written simply, without complex names, without excessive technical jargon, and without emotional overtones. The goal is to make them understandable to as many listeners as possible and also suitable for voice reading by artificial intelligence. Each episode will focus on one specific story, one claim, one form of manipulation.

And if you find these topics interesting, we’d love for you to support us beyond the listening platform. The 4 Minutes podkast is also available on social media—on TikTok, where we share short clips and expanded content, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and the platform X.

Your feedback is important to us. If you have a topic you’d like us to cover, or a question about a specific episode, don’t hesitate to reach out. This project is not finished. It’s evolving—with you.

This mini-series is not aimed at any particular country or people. It’s not about blaming. It’s about understanding. About how stories are told—and how they shape the world around us. Thank you for being with us. And we look forward to having you with us in the upcoming episodes.