Strategic synchrony? The co-projection of identity narratives by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sputnik Latvia

Influencing public opinion abroad via the media is a longstanding ambition of the Russian government, where media influence is used to counter an anti-Russian campaign carried out by so-called unfriendly states. This article presents a comparative narrative analysis of how the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian state-controlled Sputnik co-projected identity narratives about Latvia between 2019 and 2021 prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The analysis identifies three recurring narratives on freedom of speech, history, and language, portraying Russia as a righteous protector and Latvia as a Russophobic, Western-influenced antagonist. Empirically, the study demonstrates the co-projection between state and media actors, showing that Sputnik operates as an almost integrated part of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s communication strategy, rather than as an independent outlet. Theoretically, it applies Chatman’s terminology of story and discourse (see Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure in Fiction and Film , 1980) to explain how rhetorical form and degree of explicitness influence the persuasive force of strategic narratives. Contextually, the findings indicate that antagonistic portrayals of Latvia reflect Russia’s view of the Baltics as part of its legitimate sphere of influence, aiming to weaken trust in Latvian institutions, and undermine the country’s international reputation. These narratives also contribute to changing the discursive environment in which they operate.