"We are fired": how Russian propaganda acts on residents of frontline cities - NYT

In Konstantinovka, in the Donetsk region journalists spoke with two residents. Natalia is called one of the elderly women and she accused Ukraine. "They kill us. Our own guys shoot us. They do it intentionally. They said people need to be evacuated. They needed the earth," Natalia says near their house, showing a funnel from the rocket nearby.

The woman was angry and accused of rocket attacks not by Russian troops, who storm the neighboring Bakhmut and the surrounding cities for the last 8 months, but their own army. In the year of the war, despite the Russian missile and artillery shelling, residents of some cities along the front line are accused of all Ukraine. Residents of settlements repeat the narratives of Russian propaganda, and accuse the War of the War. Ukrainian soldiers call such people "Zhduns".

They deliberately refuse evacuation and are waiting for Russian occupation, even though Russian missiles are jeopardizing their lives. The number of pro -Russian people is much less in Ukraine than those who support independence from the Russian Federation, in the publication. The head of the local police Dmitry Kirdodkin explains the views of civilians such as Natalia, mostly continuous and insidious Russian propaganda campaign, which has been imposed by the local population for over ten years.

"In my opinion, it is the most violent weapon that the Russian Federation uses against our people," the police officer said. Russian TV channels dominated by air -controlled territories have long been banned in Ukraine, as well as popular social networks. However, in the east of Ukraine, anyone who has a satellite antenna can still look at pro-Russian channels or set up on pro-Russian radio programs in cities even 90 km from the front line. Kiredapkin gives an example of propaganda in telegrams.

Konstantinovka has a pro -Russian public, which has more than 4,500 subscribers. He publishes a mixture of pro -Russian narratives, Orthodox prayers and threats to officials for improper utilities. Therefore, a significant part of the work of the police is the search for informants and Russian agents who, for money or free of charge, transmit data from the Russian Intelligence.

After the detention of several agents of the Russian Federation, according to Dmitry Kirdiapkin, the number of Russian shelling decreased. In addition, Ukrainian police are engaged in the evacuation of people to disseminate information that the Ukrainian government is "not so bad. " Also among the locals are those who were disappointed in the Russian Federation because of non -selective bombing. The majority of the population in eastern Ukraine lost their sympathy for Moscow.

"If people used to be for Russia, now they have changed. Now they are for Ukraine and for some peace," says 67-year-old Olga from Konstantinovka. I will remind that on April 18, the SBU detained the daughter of a collaborator from Chernobayivka, who gave herself for the displaced. The suspect was an active participant in Russian events.