Special Warfare Operation (Russian: Специальная военная операция, also special operation; abbreviated SWO) is a propaganda euphemism introduced by the Russian leadership and used by pro-Russian sources to describe Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[1] The term carries ideological elements similar to doublethink.[2][3]
The use of the euphemism "special military operation" is an example of a modern Russian newspeak, part of which is the formation of an alternative idea of a less dangerous picture of reality by softening the wording in official reports and in the media.[4][5] In addition to the term "SWO", the Russian authorities' vocabulary had other euphemisms to describe the events during the invasion of Ukraine: explosions on Russian territory were referred to as a "pop" or "loud sound," the retreat or even flight of the Russian army could be called a "planned regrouping of troops" or a "goodwill gesture" (as in the case of Snake Island), and the expression "precision strikes" was used by the Russian Ministry of Defense to describe brutal attacks on peaceful targets in Ukraine, be it a shopping center, a high-rise building, a train station, a hospital.[6]
During 2011-2022, Russia fell in the press freedom ranking from 142nd to 155th place, indicating significant state control over the media.[7]
In culture edit
Because of its nature as an obvious euphemism, the term has become an internet meme mocking Russian propaganda.[8] At the end of 2022, euphemism won the "Expression of the Year" category of the independent Russian contest "Word of the Year".[4][9]
The semi-official symbol for the term is the Latin letter «Z».[10]
References edit
- ^ Abdul, Geneva (2023-03-13). "Russia-Ukraine war: Xi to visit Russia as early as next week; Moscow says it could agree to shorter Black Sea grain deal – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
"Special military operation" has been Russia's preferred term for the invasion of Ukraine which it launched on 24 February 2022
- ^ Kostia Gorobets (2022-05-24). "Russian "Special Military Operation" and the Language of Empire". Opinio Juris. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ "What can we do to avoid contributing to the 'fog of war' online during Russia's invasion of Ukraine?". Center for an Informed Public. 2022-02-24. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
- ^ a b Ирина Левонтина, Елена Шмелёва (2023-03-14). "Зэтники и нетвойняшки. Каким стал специальный военный русский язык". Фонд Карнеги. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Лиля Пальвелева (2022-03-01). "Эвфемизмы войны. Как власть манипулирует сознанием людей". Радио «Свобода». Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- ^ "Очень странные слова. Как российская власть формирует язык Upside Down". Холод (издание). 2023-05-19. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
- ^ "Putin's Second Front: no peace for the wicked". www.russian-election-monitor.org. 2022-09-02. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ "Precedentné výrazy V. Putina v mémoch a ich funkcia v politickom diskurze" (PDF).
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Ксения Туркова (2022-12-08). "Война — главное слово года". Голос Америки. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ "Буква Z — официальный (и зловещий) символ российского вторжения в Украину. Мы попытались выяснить, кто это придумал, — и вот что из этого получилось". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-07-18.
[[Category:Internet memes related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine]] [[Category:Propaganda in Russia related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine]] [[Category:Euphemisms]]