Implicit evaluation in ‘impartial’ reporting: translation in BBC News Russian during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

This study employs thematic analysis and critical discourse analysis to examine the translation of news from English-language sources by BBC News Russian between January and August 2025, focusing specifically on article headlines. The aim is to uncover ideological representations in the original headlines selected for translation and to analyze ideological shifts introduced in the translated headlines. The thematic analysis identified three interrelated themes in the corpus: the Russo-Ukrainian war, international relations, and Trump. The critical discourse analysis revealed that both BBC News and BBC News Russian frame the Russo-Ukrainian war as Russian aggression against Ukraine. Headlines in both languages invoke negative evaluations of Putin, portraying him as a dictator with an aggressive foreign policy and unwillingness to end the war. They also imply a critical evaluation of Trump, highlighting his attempt to secure a ceasefire with Putin by pressuring Ukraine and framing his foreign policy as manipulative. Translated headlines introduce additional evaluations, including skepticism about U.S.–Russia ceasefire negotiations, subtle ridicule of Trump’s efforts to persuade Putin to end the war, and criticism of Trump’s broader foreign policy approach – all conveyed primarily through irony.