Historical Memory as a Security Framework: A Comparative Study of Polish and Slovak Framings of Russia in the Context of Hybrid Warfare and Disinformation

Abstract

Since 2014, Russia has increasingly relied on various hybrid warfare tactics in order to pursue its foreign policy goals in Europe. Informational warfare and disinformation campaigns have become some of the Kremlin’s most prominent tools for interfering in the domestic affairs of European states. This thesis examines how historical memory frameworks in Poland and Slovakia influence the way Russia and its hybrid activities are presented and framed in the two domestic contexts. Although both countries share several historical experiences, their political discourses reveal notably different perceptions of Moscow. This study adopts a qualitative comparative case-study design based on Critical Discourse Analysis. Official governmental documents and parliamentary speeches from the period 2014-2024 were coded and examined using the ATLAS.ti software. Two five-level scales were developed to assess how individual statements use the past and construct Russia as a security threat. The findings demonstrate that the Polish discourse presents a relatively consistent and strong securitisation of Russia. Historical references often reinforce narratives of sovereignty, Soviet occupation and resistance. In Slovakia, on the other hand, the framing of Russia remains more ambiguous and contested. as it combines threat perceptions with references to partnership or Soviet liberation. The thesis, therefore, argues that consolidated historical memory frameworks can strengthen discursive resilience to Russian manipulated narratives, whereas fragmented frameworks create discursive openings for pro-Russian re-interpretations which weaken the securitisation of Russia.