Thank You for the Occupation

A report by the independent publication DOXA revealed that pro-Russian bloggers in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia routinely post content depicting improved living conditions under Russian authorities, justify the Russia's War on Ukraine, and dismiss reports of repression against civilians as false.

One example is 28-year-old Melitopol native Maksym Stadnik, who runs a Telegram channel with over 27,000 subscribers and a TikTok account with over 100,000 followers. Melitopol is the administrative center of the Zaporizhzhia region, currently under Russian occupation. Stadnik frequently praises life under Russian control, calls Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “tiny narcofuhrer,” and reposts pro-Russian channels. In his videos, he highlights the reconstruction of Melitopol University’s buildings and claims that residents receive social benefits. According to him, the real advantage of living under the new authorities is “freedom, a normal measured life, and a future for children,” and he dismisses reports of repression as fabricated.

Independent sources offer a different view. The BBC’s Russian Service, citing an independent international commission’s report to the UN Human Rights Council, has documented alleged human rights abuses in occupied territories, including torture and sexual violence. In October 2023 independent outlet Vazhnye Istorii reported that torture chambers were operating in Melitopol, where civilians who opposed the occupation authorities were allegedly beaten.

Other pro-Kremlin bloggers propagate similar messages. A blogger from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), known online as Kirill Sirius, posts about reconstruction efforts in Donetsk and encourages Russians to invest in Donbas real estate. He has described Russian President Vladimir Putin as “just an understandable man.” Another major DPR blogger, Evgeny Vasiliev—who served with separatist forces—tells his hundreds of thousands of followers that Ukraine started the war, refers to Putin as “Uncle Vova,” and raises funds for Russian soldiers.

According to DOXA, the Russian government invests in bloggers on occupied territories through a major platform called "Rossiya Strana Vozmozhnostei" (Russia – the Land of Opportunities). At least two projects under that platform focus on bloggers in the so-called “new regions of Russia.” One is called the “Masterskaya Novykh Media" (New Media Workshop), which trains media specialists, journalists, bloggers, content creators, and social media managers. Among its graduates is France-based blogger Christelle Naen, who founded the portal “Donbass Insider.” The site publishes materials with headlines such as “FBK, Navalny’s anti-corruption corrupt fund” and “Just as there are no Nazis in Ukraine, there are no pedophiles in the West.” Russian President Putin has personally pledged support for Naen’s project.

Another initiative is “TOPBlog,” which hosts a competition for aspiring bloggers and provides free online courses. One of its winners, 16-year-old DPR resident Daria Verba, does not write directly about politics or the war but promotes pro-Kremlin initiatives for young people.

Local programs also aim to shape content creators in the occupied territories. 

In 2024, the Donbass Media Center was established with branches in Donetsk, Luhansk, Mariupol, and Melitopol. The center trains aspiring influencers ages 16 to 25, and instructors include pro-Russian bloggers, such as Pavel Karbovsky, known for posting travel vlogs that highlight what he describes as improvements under Russian governance.

DOXA reports that the Donbass Media Center has already trained about 200 bloggers, most of whom avoid discussing politics or the war. Some have even published content that appears to counter the Kremlin’s official narrative. In one example, two young bloggers in Luhansk posted a video in which they walked around with a poster reading, “Hug me if you want peace.” Meanwhile, in Russia, people displaying similar posters calling for peace have been fined for “discrediting the Russian army.”