Cyborg Image in Modern Ukrainian Media Discourse: Strategies of Representation, Hybridisation and Mediatisation

Abstract

This essay explores the hybrid portrayal of the cyborg figure in contemporary Ukrainian media. By 2014–15, defenders of Donetsk airport in eastern Ukraine were dubbed “cyborgs” due to their resilience, bravery, and near-invincibility. To honour their bravery, early photo exhibitions were organised, books chronicling their deeds were published, and later documentaries were produced. The mediatization of the cyborg image continues to develop. This concept has shifted from technological origins to a literary and cinematic symbol. In Ukrainian media discourse today, it represents the unwavering spirit of Ukrainian soldiers and the nation.
The research aims to uncover the hybrid structure and the strategies involved in the representation and mediatization of the cyborg image across various Ukrainian media spheres. The article analyses the emergence and development of the hero–defender motif within the context of the Russian–Ukrainian war. Multiple media forms depict heroes: films, news reports, government websites, comics, social advertising, and more. The warrior image is merged with references to a Cossack (a Ukrainian national hero), a modern brave soldier, the national poet Taras Shevchenko, a cyborg, among others. It is demonstrated that through strategies of militarisation, hybridisation, and emotional framing, the cyborg figure has become a core element of the sociocultural landscape. The selected photographs and media portrayals illustrate the comprehensive concept of the Ukrainian warrior–cyborg and its depiction in contemporary Ukrainian media.