War documentaries as a counter-propaganda tool: basic representation techniques

Abstract

This article examines the historical and contemporary development of Russian military doc umentaries as a counter-propaganda tool in the context of information confrontation. It analyzes the main counter-propaganda strategies used in documentary filmmaking, including exposure through factual evidence, rational argumentation, and emotional impact. The theoretical frame work of this study is based on the works of Russian and foreign scholars in the fields of docu mentary films, media communication, propaganda, and counter-propaganda. The methodological framework combines structural-thematic, narrative, discourse, and comparative-historical meth ods of analysis. Empirical materials include documentaries about the Great Patriotic War, the Af ghan War, counterterrorism operations in the North Caucasus, and the current special military operation. Attention is paid to how armed conflicts are represented and how media narratives are constructed in these documentaries. The study identifies the transformation of counter propaganda practices throughout different historical periods and highlights the continuity of key audiovisual influence strategies. The author concludes that military documentaries serve to refute propagandistic narratives, construct alternative interpretations of events, and influence mass con sciousness, while maintaining an essential role in the modern media communication system