Ukrainians celebrated the Saturday attack on a key bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to mainland Russia by flooding social media with memes, which have become a staple of the conflict.
Even though most may think of memes as a phenomenon that sprouted with the coming of age of the Internet, memes actually date— if not centuries. Long before the invention of the internet, experts say, memes have functioned as an analog way for humans to communicate and joke with one another.
In Ukraine, the country has long used memes, along with others in the post-Soviet space, to be critical of the Soviet Union, says Sigita Struberga, a researcher at the department of political science at the University of Latvia. "During Soviet times, humor, for example, short stories or anecdotes ... were once a certain type of freedom of expression," says Struberga.
"The memes give an opportunity [to] address target audiences in a more sharp form, to express more sharp narratives" that may not make sense to those who are coming at the issue neutrally, according to Struberga, who is also the secretary general of the Latvian Transatlanic Organization.After the fall of the USSR in the early 90s, memes continued to be a way for post-Soviet countries to push back against Moscow and share information, she says.
When it comes to the current conflict, Struberga says the Ukrainian army, politicians and civil society alike have been using humor very effectively — reaching both local and foreign audiences with important messages,
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
First, a bridge strategic to Russia was attacked — then came the Ukrainian memesUkrainians celebrated the Saturday attack on a key bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to mainland Russia by flooding social media with memes, which have become a staple of the conflict.
Read more »
Russia unleashes biggest attacks in Ukraine in monthsRussia has retaliated for what it claimed was a Ukrainian terrorist attack on a critical bridge by unleashing its biggest and most widespread attacks against Ukraine in months
Read more »
Deadly missile strikes hit Kyiv as explosions reported in other cities across UkraineThe attacks came only hours after Russia blamed Ukraine for a weekend explosion that partially damaged a strategic bridge that connects Russian-occupied Crimea to mainland Russia.
Read more »
Deadly missile strikes hit Kyiv as explosions reported in other cities across UkraineThe attacks came only hours after Russia blamed Ukraine for a weekend explosion that partially damaged a strategic bridge that connects Russian-occupied Crimea to mainland Russia.
Read more »
Putin calls Kerch Bridge attack “a terrorist act” by KyivZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Russia President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called the attack on the sprawling Kerch Bridge to Crimea “a terrorist act” carried out by Ukrainian special…
Read more »
Putin Accuses Ukraine Of ‘Act Of Terrorism’ After Crimea Bridge ExplosionRussian President Vladimir Putin claimed Ukrainian forces planned and carried out an attack on the only bridge linking Russia and Crimea, though Ukraine hasn’t directly taken responsibility for the explosion.
Read more »