Russian and US media portrayals of the US/NATO ballistic missile defence shield: before and after Crimea

Abstract

This dissertation analyses and compares the change in portrayals by the US and Russian media regarding the US/NATO ballistic missile defence (BMD) shield in Europe before and after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. The development of a multi-part shield in Europe has perpetually incited controversy, particularly within Russia, ie the state most vocally opposed to the shield's presence. This research examines the change, or lack thereof, in US and Russian media portrayals of the US/NATO BMD shield during two periods: from US President Barack Obama's announcement of a new US missile defence policy in Europe in September 2009 to January 2014; and from the annexation of Crimea in February 2014 to the end of President Obama's term in January 2017. Through the critical discourse analysis of a wide range of articles from news sources across each country's political spectrum, this dissertation examines how the shield is portrayed and instances of securitisation that took place in the media.