THESES OF AZERBAIJANI PROPAGANDA DURING THE 44-DAY WAR

Abstract

This article is aimed to figure out and analyze the main theses of Azerbaijani propaganda, developed and used during the 44-day war in the fall of 2020. The author's task is to identify new theses that will further determine the main trends in the information war against Armenia and the NKR. In this work, the author firstly uses the monitoring of Azerbaijani media, speeches of officials, press releases and statements of government agencies, opinions of experts and lobbyists as a tool for collecting data. At further stages, the method of structural and content analysis of texts is used. As a result, the author outlined and structured the main mega-theses, theses and micro-theses of Azerbaijani propaganda, analyzed the key areas of work in the future, and worked out recommendations for the Armenian side. In particular, Azerbaijan intends to intensify the presentation of the potential and opportunities in the occupied territories, direct efforts to raise the patriotic spirit among the Azerbaijani citizens, as well as keep demonstrating the politico-military and economic superiority over Armenia and NKR in the future. Proceeding from this, in order to counteract the work of Azerbaijani propaganda, the Armenian side needs to develop and set out a clear official position on key issues of the Karabakh conflict settlement in accordance with the post-war realities, to consistently promote its position, antitheses, as well as present evidence of Azerbaijan's war crimes in international structures, foreign media and on international platforms.