“Freedom or Death” A Qualitative Content Analysis on Motivation in the Dzhokhar Dudayev and Sheikh al Mansur Battalion

Sammanfattning: This thesis looks at how motivation to fight in war is represented in the social media of the Sheikh al Mansur Battalion and the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion. Both battalions are voluntary forces, therefore not conscripted or paid to fight in war. This thesis examines the presence of the two Chechen battalions in the war in Ukraine despite lacking obvious historical ties. It aims to examine the plurality of the battalions and illustrate these groups' presence within the war in Ukraine. Non-material motivations to fight for foreign non-state armed groups are understudied in the context of Ukraine.  A qualitative content analysis is applied to the Telegram channels of the battalions to unpack patterns in content produced providing an insight in how the motivation of actions is communicated. The analysis shows how the legacy of the two Chechen wars lives on in both battalions as part of their motives to be actively present in the war in Ukraine. The findings argue for a broader consideration of non-material incentives, such as identity and cohesion, when examining motivations for participating in war.