Red Memory, White Memory: Competing Historical Narratives in Russia's Pro-War Community

• In Event: Memory Politics in Times of the Russia-Ukraine War

Abstract

This paper examines how divergent memories of the Soviet period shape ideological divisions within Russia's pro-war "Z" community on Telegram. While united in supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, "Red" and "White" patriots maintain fundamentally opposed interpretations of 20th-century Russian history. Red patriots view the Soviet period as Russia's golden age of imperial power and social justice, crediting Stalin with transforming the USSR into a "Red version" of the Russian Empire. White patriots, conversely, see the Soviet era as a catastrophic break in Russian history, viewing 1917 as the destruction of Russia at its pre-revolutionary peak. Drawing on media ethnography of Z Telegram channels (2022-2025), I demonstrate how these competing historical narratives inform different understandings of the current war. Red patriots frame the conflict as a revival of Soviet anti-fascist struggle and anti-Western resistance, while White patriots see it as an opportunity to overcome the Soviet legacy and restore pre-revolutionary Russian greatness. These memory politics manifest in fierce debates over symbols, historical figures, and the desired outcome of the war itself.

Author

• Alina Parker, U of Massachusetts Amherst