Legitimation Tactics of the Belarusian Regime Through Online Propaganda

Following the 2020 protests, which posed a significant challenge to the stability of the Belarusian regime through a wave of coordinated mass demonstrations, the authorities intensified their engagement on social media and instant messaging platforms. By late 2020, pro-government bloggers and activists had begun leveraging platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, while communities and groups supporting Lukashenka also emerged on Telegram and VKontakte. Previous research suggests that this increased digital presence reflects a strategic co-optation of democratic principles and an ambition to strengthen internal legitimation. On the one hand, online platforms may be used for replicating propaganda and disinformation from traditional state-controlled media, particularly state television. On the other hand, as preliminary observations indicate, some pro-government communities and bloggers disseminate ‘everyday’ entertaining content, subtly embedding the regime’s agenda to enhance its legitimacy. Furthermore, a segment of pro-government influencers and communities appears exclusively devoted to promoting Russian narratives, particularly those concerning the war in Ukraine. Building on existing scholarly accounts on autocratic consolidation and legitimation, this paper examines how the Belarusian regime appropriates digital platforms to reinforce internal legitimacy and consolidate ruling elites. Specifically, it examines the structure and networks of pro-regime sources across Telegram, YouTube, Instagram, VKontakte, OK.ru, and TikTok. Through qualitative content analysis, the study maps the diverse and potentially overlapping functions performed by these online resources, including legitimation, elite consolidation, and digital repression. Additionally, the paper studies the connection of these pro-governmental sources to Russian propaganda as an example of international and national legitimation of Kremlin politics.