‘Russian warship, go fuck yourself’: Romantic narratives of the hero in the war of Ukraine

Abstract

In times of war, ‘heroes’ play a key role. The romantic construction of the ‘heroes’ that defend a righteous cause against a more powerful and unjust enemy often serves as a means to legitimise political narratives and violent actions. The iconic phrase ‘Russian warship, go fuck yourself!’ uttered by a Ukrainian border guard during an imminent Russian attack on Snake Island in February 2022 became a globally known symbol of heroism and resistance that generated great solidarity against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Taking up notions of hero studies in political science and International Relations, and utilising a narrative analysis method that focuses on the elements of setting, characterisation and emplotment, this article examines how British media outlets ( The Guardian, The Times and The Sun) construct the figure of the romantic ‘hero’ within the context of the Snake Island incident, while it also delves into the possible consequences of such heroisation.