Visual Testimony of the Russian–Ukrainian War: General Zaluzhnyi in Ukrainian Memes and Cartoons

This paper explores the strategic use of multimodal genres of humorous discourse (memes and cartoons) as “visual testimony” and tools of “imagefare” during recent armed conflicts, focusing on the Russian–Ukrainian War. It analyses how social media has transformed communication, democratised humour, and blurred the lines between content creators. The study outlines the interconnected concepts of visual propaganda, imagefare, and memetic warfare, emphasizing their unique features and hierarchical influence on public perceptions. It also examines the dual role of images as both visual testimony and “weaponised humour” in conflicts. Using Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) and drawing from the Epistemology of Testimony, the paper studies Ukrainian memes and cartoons featuring General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The analysis highlights how these visual artifacts use specific joke techniques and multimodal interactions to shape narratives, mock opponents, and build collective identity, especially regarding Zaluzhnyi's tactical skills and Russian losses.