Occupiers' attempts to impose russian alternative reality in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions
Since occupying parts of the territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, russia has begun to build an information bubble for the local population, cutting off access to Ukrainian sources of information and replacing them with its own propaganda. But the vast majority of people in the temporarily occupied territories do not want to see the "russian world" in their homes. Our citizens are resisting: we have all seen the news about successful attempts to eliminate collaborators, pro-Ukrainian leaflets and painted Ukrainian flags appear almost every day in populated areas; there are many reports of sabotage by the occupying "authorities."
To suppress the resistance forces, the occupiers are trying to completely seize the information space in the occupied territories and fill it with russian propaganda. For this, all possible methods of conveying information are used:
- Printed publications and brochures
- Outdoor advertising
- Blocking Ukrainian and connecting russian television
- Maintaining a network of Telegram channels and communities in "Vkontakte"
All this with the sole purpose of limiting the access of residents of the temporarily occupied territories to the information environment of Ukraine and the world.
The essence of russian propaganda has not changed since the time of the USSR, so there is nothing to surprise history connoisseurs here. russian propaganda in the occupied territories operates with a classic set of Soviet theses:
- the russians came to Ukraine "to liberate the local population from the oppression of the collective West";
- the local population gladly welcomes the "liberators" and shows great desire to join russia;
- the idolization of the image of Putin and his proteges in the occupied territories;
- devaluation and rejection of everything Ukrainian;
- populist promises and comparisons with Crimea, which allegedly became much better to live in with the arrival of russia.
russia uses all available methods to spread these theses. They seized and reconfigured towers with radio and television signals to their frequencies and created and started printing propaganda press (often newspapers are published in local printers by intimidation and blackmail of their owners, although a significant part of such materials is imported from Crimea). Evidence of the introduction into Ukrainian territory of military "polygraphs on wheels" shows that print propaganda leaflets and outdoor advertising media are widely used. Many pro-russian communities have been created on social networks (mainly Telegram).
We will give examples of spreading false information by russia in the occupied territories.
Radio and TV broadcasting
Radio broadcasting in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) is currently wholly or partially occupied by russian radio stations.
Kherson region: "Radio Kherson", "Nashe radio", "Kazak FM", "Radio Rossii", radio "Zvezda", "Vesty FM", "Europa plus", "Pervoe radio", "Russian radio", radio " Krym".
Zaporizhzhia region: radio "Krym", "Mayak", "Vesti".
All satellite antennas have been re-tuned to russian television, and TOT residents can now watch only russian channels. Among the connected channels are "First Channel", "Russia", "NTV", "REN TV", "Five Channel", "OTR", "TVC", "STS", "Zvezda" and "Mir".
In addition, equipment (tuners) for receiving russian channels is imported and distributed in TOT.
The TV channel "Tavria" was launched in the Kherson region, and a similar TV channel, "ZaTV," was launched in the Zaporizhzhia region. They perform the function of local television with an openly pro-russian agenda.
Outdoor advertisement
Periodically, propaganda billboards appear in cities, bearing either general slogans, such as "With russia into the future" or the belief that the occupied territories will inevitably become part of russia – "russia is here to stay."
Also, for example, billboards with Soviet symbols and photos of war heroes appeared in the occupied cities in the spring before "Victory Day." Until May 9, propaganda tried to promote the thesis that now residents could freely honor the memory of their dead relatives because they were supposedly forbidden to do so in Ukraine.
Printed editions
Several printed propaganda publications began to spread in the Kherson region. Among them: "Nasha Kakhovka", "Chernomorets", "Naddnepryanskaya Pravda", "Kakhovsky Vestnyk".
These newspapers are permeated through and through with the propaganda of the "russian world," promoting the gauleiters and what opening of playgrounds, distribution of food, social payments, reduction of tariffs, etc. — everything to "buy" the residents' favor. Attention is also paid to appeals to the population to obtain documents and passports of the russian federation, driver's licenses, and license plates of russia.
The newspaper "Novoe Vremya," published in Crimea, is distributed in the Zaporizhzhia region; we don't know about other editions, or the occupiers simply can't print them because printers capable of producing newspaper circulations are, as a rule, located in regional centers.
In addition, there are detachments of information and psychological operations in the temporarily occupied territories, each of which is armed with a complex of mobile printing press, "Etan," based on a URAL vehicle capable of printing postcards.
The Internet
In addition to global communities known as "z-publics" in social networks, russians have created a number of regional news and propaganda channels. Special attention is paid to telegram channels, given the popularity of this messenger among society during this war. Although there are similar communities in Vkontakte, informational sites that spread russian propaganda are being created.
In addition, the gauleiters, who were allowed to make some public statements, also created personal Telegram channels. Among them are Kirill Streymousov, Kateryna Gubareva, Volodymyr Saldo, Volodymyr Rogov, Evgeny Balytskyi.
As for the information spreading there, it is difficult to find primary sources, except for the posts of the above-mentioned gauleiter. It should be noted that all posts with direct propaganda appear on all pro-russian channels within a few hours, which indicates a centralized distribution of information.
Fortunately, russians cannot block access to Ukrainian Telegram communities and YouTube, and with the help of a VPN, you can access Ukrainian Internet resources.
An alternate reality will not help the occupiers
All these means are used at full capacity to psychologically influence the temporarily occupied territories' inhabitants. But it is safe to say that, as 80 years ago, as now, creating an alternate reality will not help russia win this war. And even more so, to convince Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories that they are supposedly being saved. russia will lose on the battlefield, and it will also lose the information battle, no matter what resources it pours into it.
