Caricature as one of the information mechanisms for constructing the image of Russia's war against Ukraine: according to the materials of "The Times" and "The Sunday Times"

Abstract

The article presents the author's vision of the caricature as an informational mechanism for constructing the image of Russia's war against Ukraine. The subject of the study was the satirical graphics of one of the most famous and authoritative publications in the world - the British newspaper "The Times" and its separate Sunday edition "The Sunday Times". Chronologically, the work covers a small but revealing period: the first 7 days of Russia's full-scale armed aggression. At this time, the world mass media literally "exploded" with news reports about events in Ukraine.As a result of the research, it was established that from the first days of the full-scale war, the cartoonists of "The Times" and "The Sunday Times" took a clearly expressed pro-Ukrainian and anti-Russian position. The main object of their ridicule was V. Putin, who was attached to a series of different images: "Russian-Soviet leader", "half-naked macho" and "dwarf". With the increase in the number of rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities and killed civilians, the authors of the cartoons treated the image of the Russian president even more contemptuously, emphasizing the fact of his degradation as a type of "reasonable person". The positive image of the Ukrainian president became a direct counterpoint to the negative image of V. Putin. To the readers of The Times and The Sunday Times, V. Zelensky appears as a "great leader" who, personifying Ukraine and its people, courageously resists the onslaught of the Russian army. Cartoonists also drew attention to the image of political leaders of the West, who are also criticized for their inability to successfully oppose Russia's armed aggression. The policy of the British government regarding the settlement of the entry of Ukrainian refugees to the United Kingdom was separately ridiculed.