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The increased globalization coupled with a developed information space have led state actors to adapt their means of power exertion. For some authoritarian states this has led to an entirely new form power exertion – sharp power. Within this concept, the projection of strategic narratives can serve as a powerful resource. However, strategic narratives and their utility is still not fully realized and warrants further studies. To develop and nuance the understanding of offensive forms of strategic narration, this thesis studies the projection of strategic narratives through Russian state media on two Nordic countries – Norway and Finland. The thesis identifies strategic narratives and contributes to the theoretical understanding of the field by exploring how antagonism is directed while also highlighting deficiencies in the hard- and soft power dichotomy.

By conducting a qualitative analysis of Sputniks reporting during a two-month period, several narratives on Norway and Finland are identified. The analysis also reveals that Russia’s narration of the two countries differs in how antagonism is directed. In the narratives of Finland, antagonism is typically directed towards the public while the government is elevated. In the narratives of Norway, the opposite is shown where antagonism is directed towards the government while segments of the Norwegian population is elevated. This can in part be explained through the two countries relationship to NATO.