Divide and Conquer: Russia's Anti-west Campaign and Gender-based Disinformation

This article investigates how Russia employs gender-based disinformation as a strategic tool to advance its foreign policy objectives. Although existing research on gender-based foreign influence and disinformation emphasizes its domestic social effects, it has not fully explored how states instrumentalize gendered narratives to pursue broader geopolitical goals. Using qualitative content analysis of 367 pro-Kremlin disinformation articles, we identify eight narratives that Russia employs to undermine the moral legitimacy of Western states and institutions, such as NATO and the EU, while simultaneously legitimizing its own actions. We show that Russia strategically deploys disinformation to resonate with conservative audiences. Our analysis highlights two core mechanisms: legitimacy sabotage and legitimation, both of which are rooted in the contestation of moral authority. By weaponizing gendered narratives, Russia effectively reconfigures legitimacy landscapes in its favour, illustrating the broader strategic logic of gender-based disinformation within contemporary hybrid warfare tactics. This research presents a novel framework for understanding how states use identity-based narratives in the context of great power competition.