Enemy-Image Construction In Political Commentary: Analysis Of Anti-Russian Rhetoric

This article analyzes how English political commentaries construct an enemy image of the Russian Federation through rhetorical and discursive mechanisms. The study identifies techniques of moral dehumanization, stereotyping, historical indictment framing, delegitimization and threat inflation. The findings demonstrate how emotionally charged language and selective historical narratives are mobilized to create a polarized moral framework in which Russia is depicted as a fundamentally aggressive and illegitimate actor, while the UK is positioned as morally superior and justified in its responses.