‘Thanks, Uncle Vova’ Moscow invests in pro-Russian influencers to spread propaganda in occupied Ukraine

The Russian government has been investing in a powerful propaganda tool in Ukraine’s occupied territories: video bloggers. These pro-Russian influencers film upbeat reviews of cafes in the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic,” praise “Uncle Vova” (Vladimir Putin) for “saving the locals,” and produce travel TV shows in war-torn Mariupol. They portray life under Russian rule as steadily improving — and they’re training young content creators to spread the message even further. The independent outlet DOXA recently explored what these vloggers are producing and which Russia-backed organizations are helping them grow. Meduza shares an abridged translation of the report.

Normalizing occupation

A man in a dark gray hoodie and sweatpants sits on a bench painted in the colors of the Russian flag. Off-camera, a voice asks, “What would you do if Vladimir Putin were standing in front of you right now instead of me?” The man replies, “I’d kiss his hands. For all the years we lived in Ukraine, we were always just… existing. There was no pride. But today, when you watch his [Putin’s] speech, your hands start shaking and tears come to your eyes.”

The man featured in this TikTok clip is 28-year-old Maksim Stadnik from Melitopol. He runs a Telegram channel with over 27,000 subscribers, and his TikTok account has more than 100,000 followers. On social media, Stadnik posts about politics, calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “a tiny drug Führer,” shares content from Russian pro-war channels, and claims that occupied Melitopol is thriving under Russian control.

In one video, Stadnik praises the reconstruction of buildings at Melitopol University. “Strength and power! Everything is being repaired, guys — everything! It’s beautiful,” he says. In another, he showcases a renovated medical center and a newly paved sidewalk in front of it, calling it an example of “rich Russian life,” and emphasizes the social benefits that local residents enjoy.

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Stadnik says the greatest benefit of living under Russian rule isn’t any material possession — it’s “freedom; a normal, measured life; the children’s future.” He also dismisses reports of repression against locals as fake.

Stadnik isn’t the only blogger promoting the idea that life in the occupied territories is improving. Kirill Sazonov, known online as “Kirill Sirius,” is a popular blogger from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR). He describes Putin as “just a straightforward guy,” shares videos showcasing locals’ supposed satisfaction with Donetsk’s reconstruction efforts, and reviews newly opened shops and cafes. He also uses his platform to advertise apartments for rent in Donetsk, which is fitting, given his day job as a realtor.

Even while promoting local real estate, Sazonov can’t fully ignore the realities of living under occupation. In one video, he shows an apartment fitted with water storage — a necessity since water is supplied only every other day. Nevertheless, this doesn’t prevent him from urging Russians to invest in Donbas properties.

Although Sazonov’s content primarily focuses on real estate and lifestyle reviews, his social media also features interviews with other pro-Russian bloggers. One of these bloggers, Yevgeny Vasilyev from the DNR, has had his accounts blocked several times, yet he still has hundreds of thousands of followers.

Unlike Stadnik and Sazonov, Vasilyev focuses more on his personal life and charity work. He also sells personalized video greetings (charging 3,000 rubles a pop — about $30), though he offers them for free to Russian soldiers. A former separatist fighter, Vasilyev insists that “the war was started by the Ukrainian side” and credits Putin with “saving the local residents.” “Uncle Vova — thanks to him for not staying on the sidelines,” he adds.

Vasilyev supports Russian troops in more active ways, as well. Once, when another blogger donated 4.5 million rubles ($50,000) for his dental treatment, Vasilyev chose instead to use the money to purchase vehicles for the Russian army.

Follow the money

The Russian authorities are actively rolling out initiatives in the so-called “new regions” through their “autonomous nonprofit organization” (ANO) named “Russia Is a Country of Opportunities.” The ANO oversees at least two projects focused on developing blogging activities. The first, the “New Media Workshop,” is intended for “media specialists, journalists, bloggers, content creators, and social media professionals who want to launch impactful projects in new media.”

Workshop alumna Kristel Nean says she created the website Donbas Insider to “bring the voice of Donbas to a French-speaking audience.” The site publishes articles with headlines like “FBK, Navalny’s Corrupt Anti-Corruption Foundation” and “Just as There Are No Nazis in Ukraine, There Are No Pedophiles in the West.” Vladimir Putin has expressed support for the project.

The second blogging-focused project funded by “Russia Is a Country of Opportunities” is called “TOPBlog.” This initiative targets residents seeking to “unleash their potential in the media industry and master modern tools for self-realization.” It features a competition for aspiring bloggers and offers free online courses on content creation.

One of the winners of the 2023 TOPBlog competition was Darya Verba, a 16-year-old from the DNR who was recognized for having the “best blog about the new regions.” Verba has said she started her blog “to showcase Russia’s cities, promote activism, and highlight the many opportunities available to young people for self-realization.” In practice, her content serves as a PR platform for Moscow-sponsored youth initiatives — from a summer camp in annexed Crimea to the World Festival of Youth in Sochi.

At the local level

Blogging support projects exist not only at the Russian federal level but also locally. In August 2024, the Donbas Media Center (DMC) opened in Luhansk, providing a platform for young people, 16–25, who “want to get involved in blogging.” Similar centers subsequently opened in Mariupol, Donetsk, and Melitopol. According to the DMC, more than 200 individuals have already completed its training.

The DMC is a project of Donbas Media, a network of regional social media pages with tens of thousands of followers and a large Telegram channel. These platforms publish both pro-Russian political posts and entertainment content.

The instructors at the media center include Donbas Media staff and pro-Russian bloggers. Among the latter are the aforementioned Kirill Sazonov, as well as Yevgeny Lebedev and Pavel Karbovsky, both of whom have been featured on Myrotvorets, a controversial and unofficial Ukrainian online database of individuals accused of colluding with Russia or participating in pro-Russian separatist movements.

In addition to claiming on social media that “Russia is the best country” because “Putin protects the whole world in the Kremlin,” Karbovsky has also helped create a knockoff version of the popular Ukrainian show Oryol i Reshka (“Heads or Tails”). While the original highlights travel destinations around the world, Karbovsky’s version focuses on occupied Ukraine. He and his fellow DMC instructor, Alina Bannikova, have filmed episodes, visiting Berdyansk, Mariupol, Yalta, the Belosaraisk Spit, and Urzuf and promoting the narrative that life in the “new regions” is improving.

In the Mariupol episode, Bannikova says locals continue to be “joyful” and listen to music at the beach “despite everything.” Karbovsky encourages viewers “not to think of this as a completely destroyed place.” In a video about Berdyansk, the bloggers argue that “everything is being restored” and invite people to vacation there. “Girls, why go to Turkey and the Maldives? It’s better at home,” Bannikova says.

On the Donbas Media Center’s social media, Karbovsky shares tips for aspiring content creators. He advises them to “hook” viewers in the first three seconds — for example, “by falling into water or getting hit by a car.” He suggests sparking controversy to encourage comments: “Say ]the iPhone is better than other brands, and Android users will attack. Call the Donbas “Russian,” and the armchair warriors from the neighboring country [Ukraine] will come for you.”