Science communication in Russia has been developing fast during the last several years: new popular science projects, educational programmes for science journalists and science communicators, new media channels have appeared. Social media play a significant role in this process because of its unprecedented capacity to bring science closer to the public. This study is aimed at providing an understanding of how leading Russian science communicators, often famous science journalists and lecturers, manage their VK and Facebook profiles. Content and discourse analysis were used to examine communication strategies and to find patterns in the communication of those responsible for public science promotion. The investigation provided an understanding that 2 out of 5 science communicators devote about 50% of all the content on their pages to science or science popularization domain and miss "a rich opportunity to discuss science with the nonscientists in their networks by actually posting [scientific materials]" (McClain 2017: 4). Analysis of subscribers' likes, comments, and shares demonstrated that people are ready to consume scientific content: the most liked and shared posts on several analyzed pages are connected to these topics. Semi-structural interviews opened up to science communicators' own views of science communication development in Russia and the role of social media in science communication. Interviews confirmed that science communicators comprehend the difference of VK (more suitable for communication with a wide audience) and Facebook (space for communication with other scientists and foreign colleagues). Moreover, they stated that they had strategies for communication with their subscribers in social media, but their number is quite modest. Previous studies focusing on a Russian context have been connected to the contemporary evolution of science communication in Russia. However, these studies rarely analyze the modern market. This thesis aims to bridge the gap and to deepen the understanding of Russian science communication development.

Распространение научных знаний может проходить как в традиционных формах популяризации науки, так и с использованием новейших технологий, в том числе с использованием медиапроектов. В диссертации рассматриваются специфические характеристики медиапроектов, посвященных науке, как новых форм популяризации науки. В работе анализируется представленность знания в общественном сознании, а также изучаются новые методы корректировки образа науки, а также методы противодействия распространению в обществе недостоверных знаний и квазинаучных теорий. В диссертации анализируются известные отечественные медиапроекты о науке. / The spread of scientific knowledge can take place both in traditional forms of science popularization and using the latest technologies, including media projects. The dissertation discusses the specific characteristics of media projects devoted to science as new forms of science popularization. The paper analyzes the representation of knowledge in the public mind and studies new methods of adjusting the image of science as well as methods of countering the spread in a society of false knowledge and quasi-scientific theories. There are the well-known domestic media projects about science analyzes in the dissertation.