Description
Russia's overt (ab)use of history to provoke conflict and division in the post-Soviet space has been well documented. However, less attention has been paid to how Russia uses history beyond this region. This paper examines how Russian state actors and affiliated media have conducted 'memory diplomacy' in the UK, Germany, and Serbia. Relying on mixed-methods content analysis of the Sputnik news agency, Rossotrudnichestvo cultural centres, and Russian Embassy Twitter and Facebook accounts, this paper analyses the ways in which Russia applies memory diplomacy abroad, including through the use of memory exports, and the creation of memory alliances with foreign audiences by supporting and amplifying supposedly 'marginalised' views of history. For example, in Serbia, Russian state actors and affiliated media dedicate considerable resources to promoting revisionist narratives of the 1990s Yugoslav wars. Drawing on examples gathered from research into Russian memory diplomacy in three countries, this paper will contribute original findings on the use of history within international relations and influence operations.
