Public diplomacy and soft power of Russia

Abstract

Negative perceptions of Russia, according to Russian diplomats, are either the result of a lack of suitable and / or adequate knowledge about the nation and its people in the West, or are the result of an intentional endeavor by Western media and authorities to ruin Russia's image. The informational strategy is vital not only for explaining or confirming specific policy choices, but also for displaying Russia's successes, Russian culture, and, most importantly, the Russian language abroad, as the Foreign Policy Concept paper articulates [2]. Thus, the core problem is seen to be not in the country or its policies, but rather in the misunderstanding of Russia’s image and projected identity. Such an «image-heavy» perspective on the issue, then, implies that by beaming more information this «misperception of Russia» can be corrected.