Troll armies and digital propaganda: The role and strategies of troll accounts in the case of the Ukraine-Russia war

The rapid development and proliferation of digital technologies, which have started to take place in daily life since the beginning of the 21st century, have caused a radical change in propaganda activities as in many other areas. The digital age has opened a new front in conflicts between states and communities, and social media platforms and digital communication tools have become the center of propaganda activities. In these propaganda activities, fake or anonymous social media accounts, which are generally created to spread disinformation, manipulate social perception and direct public opinion in line with a specific purpose and goal, play a serious role. These accounts, commonly referred to as 'trolls', are effectively used as propaganda tools, especially in times of crisis and war. Troll accounts have played a very active role in the propaganda leg of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which began with Russia's attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The study examines the disinformation campaigns, propaganda and information wars carried out by Ukraine and Russia on social media, shaped by troll accounts. Within the scope of the study, the posts of troll accounts actively used during the Russia-Ukraine war on the X platform were examined using the content analysis method, and the types of content and language used in the posts were analyzed. The research aims to evaluate the digital propaganda strategies of the two countries and the role played by troll accounts in propaganda activities, and to reveal that digital propaganda has become a powerful tool of superiority in modern conflict environments. In the study, 60 X (Twitter) posts shared between January 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025 were selected with a purposeful sample and examined using quantitative and qualitative content analysis methods. As a result, it was determined that the troll accounts examined resorted to the same types of propaganda content proportionally, despite supporting different countries. It was understood that discourses such as undermining trust, creating fear and humiliation were frequently used in troll posts.