Instrumentalization of Pope Francis’s Anti-War Discourse in the Cognitive Warfare of the Russian Federation
Journal: Pastoral Psychology
Year: 2025

Abstract This study examines the Russian Federation’s use of Pope Francis’s anti-war discourse as part of its cognitive warfare related to the war in Ukraine. The analysis is based on a dataset comprising statements published by Pope Francis and the Vatican during his pontificate, as well as articles published in selected pro-government Russian online media. The focus is on how these media construct a narrative around Pope Francis’s anti-war rhetoric. The aim of the study is to determine whether