Russian occupiers have created an influencer school called MediaTopol in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the National Resistance Center reports.
Most of the residents refused to cooperate with the occupiers, and to cultivate collaborators, a Kremlin-funded “blogger school,” aiming to create content creators for their cause, was opened. The National Resistance Center considers propaganda a crime, warning those involved that they will face the consequences.
Propaganda school targeting young Ukrainians
Established in November 2022, Mediatopol is officially led by 20-year-old Aleksandr Gurov, supported by occupation authorities and the organization ЮгМолодой (“Southern Youth”). The latter is known for coordinating pro-Russian events and demonstrations involving young people. Gurov, a vocal supporter of the Russian invasion, gained recognition by winning a competition organized by the Russian Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Росмолодёж) this year. The competition aimed to reward projects created by young people in Zaporizhzhia.
The MediaTopol centre aims to train 100 youths in photography, filming, shooting organization, and video editing for new propaganda media in annexed territories by the end of 2023. The online registration form on Yandex, the Russian search engine, lacks prerequisites and is widely promoted in propaganda outlets like Zaporizhzhia News Feed and Zaporizhzhia Press Agency. Facing a shortage of qualified personnel, local propaganda media outlets are urgently recruiting to tailor content for their audience, aiming to present a positive vision of Russia for Ukrainian integration.
Southern Youth and The Young Guard
The Center of National Resistance (CNR) reports the existence of a propaganda leisure centre for teenagers, “Southern Youth,” operating as a recruitment centre in the temporarily occupied territories. According to CNR, Russians are conducting propaganda activities to recruit teenagers and undermine their self-awareness through this centre. “Southern Youth” functions under the guise of organizing leisure activities for teenagers but is, in reality, a recruitment hub. The movement’s core comprises “volunteers” from the Russian Federation, particularly activists from the youth wing of United Russia such as Young Guard (Молодая Гвардия), alongside a few local collaborators. The movement arranges events and lectures for young people, featuring Russian politicians, bloggers, and pop stars, who are brought to the Kremlin for propaganda purposes.
Here are some of the latest activities carried out by the occupiers’ organization.
A large-scale St. George Ribbon action on Victory Square organized by activists from the Volunteer Company of the Combat Brotherhood (“Волонтерская Рота Боевого Братства”), in collaboration with the United Russia Young Guard (“Молодая Гвардии Единой России”). Both organizations are Russian youth groups dedicated to promoting the patriotic Russia-minded upbringing of young people.
The project “Dialogues with Heroes” organized a meeting at the Multimedia Museum “Russia – My History,” backed by the Russian Society “Knowledge,” (“Знание”) featuring Alexander Ostapenko. He was presented as a “veteran of combat operations in Donbas” and the “Chairman of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Public Organization of Veterans of SMO”.
The Young Guard of United Russia (МГЕР) serves as the youth wing of the United Russia party, established in 2005. Drawing inspiration from the World War II underground organization of the same name, the Young Guard positions itself as a predominantly pro-Putin youth direct action group, boasting 85 regional branches across Russia. The organization’s founding mission is “to unite Russian youth and actively involve them in social-political life.” An interesting note in the organization’s history includes the appointment of convicted spy Anna Chapman to its public council in late December 2010.
Recent disclosures of occupiers’ activities in Ukraine highlight the alarming use of propaganda and manipulation to shape narratives and influence youth. Initiatives like MediaTopol and the “blogger school” underscore a deliberate effort to infiltrate local communities, specifically targeting impressionable minds.
The Center of National Resistance’s diligence in exposing propaganda hubs, like “Southern Youth,” stresses the significance of maintaining awareness and resilience against external influences aiming to erode local autonomy. Reported events, such as the St. George Ribbon action and orchestrated meetings at the Multimedia Museum, further spotlight the occupiers’ multifaceted strategy to advance their agenda.
