STRATEGIC MEDIA NARRATIVES ABOUT RUSSIA IN ARABIC-LANGUAGE NEWS MEDIA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF AL JAZEERA ARABIC, BBC ARABIC, AND RT ARABIC

<jats:p>This article presents a comparative analysis of strategic media narratives about Russia in Arabic-language mass media, focusing on three international television channels: RT Arabic, Al Jazeera Arabic, and BBC Arabic. The empirical basis of the study consists of news materials published in 2023, a period characterized by intensified geopolitical transformations and the growing role of media in international political communication. The relevance of the research is determined by the increasing significance of Arabic-language media as instruments of soft power and information diplomacy, employed by states to shape interpretations of foreign policy processes and influence international public opinion. Despite the existence of studies addressing Russia’s media image, there remains a lack of comparative research examining the evaluative orientation of media discourse within the Arabic information space. The methodological framework combines quantitative content analysis with elements of discourse analysis. More than 1,700 news items mentioning Russia directly or indirectly were monitored, from which 99 representative materials were selected for in-depth analysis. All texts were classified according to tonal orientation-negative, neutral, or positive-based on thematic framing, lexical markers, and narrative strategies. The findings reveal significant differences in the representation of Russia, determined by institutional affiliation and editorial policies of the analyzed media outlets. The study concludes that Arabic-language media function as active actors in international political communication, contributing to the construction of competing narratives regarding Russia’s role in contemporary global affairs.</jats:p>