Communicative strategies of political elites in Ukraine under conditions of hybrid warfare: typology and models of implementation

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the transformation of communicative strategies of Ukraine’s political elites in the context of full-scale armed aggression and the escalation of hybrid threats during the period 2024–2026. The relevance of the topic is обусловлена the critical need to develop resilient models of interaction between the state and society in order to preserve national unity, ensure the legitimacy of public institutions, and counter hostile information and psychological operations (IPSO). The methodological framework of the study is based on systemic and institutional approaches, as well as methods of content analysis of digital outputs of political leaders and case studies of significant communication campaigns. The research provides a typology of communicative strategies, within which four dominant types are identified and characterized: mobilizational (aimed at consolidation), instrumental (focused on political PR), defensive (counter-disinformation), and digital (platform-oriented). Particular attention is paid to the transformation of the public sphere under the influence of digitalization and to the role of social media (Telegram, Facebook, TikTok) as the primary arena of political interaction. The study develops a multi-level structural model for the implementation of communication, encompassing the strategic (state), operational (institutional), tactical (regional), and digital (platform-based) levels. It is demonstrated that a critical factor in communication effectiveness is the level of public trust, which directly depends on governmental transparency and the ability to shift from reactive to proactive communication. Based on the analysis of case studies from 2024–2025, practical recommendations are proposed to optimize communicative activities, particularly through the integration of media literacy into public discourse and the introduction of ethical codes of political communication.