Warrior: image and context. On the problem of representation of the image of the military man in the Russian mass media

Based on the images of military personnel that have been published in various media from the early 90s to the present, the main mechanisms of military image formation and its transformation have been identified. The article is an attempt to analyze visual sources in the context of political, economic, social and cultural changes. The visual material represents an original empirical base due to its specific technical capabilities and new ways of communication emerging in the context of the digitalization of society. These characteristics of the photographs make it possible to identify several strategies for representing the image of a serviceman, formed by different social groups and elites who have different opportunities to promote and disseminate certain images. The conclusion is made about the level of effectiveness and possible negative consequences in the modern strategy of representing the image of a military man.