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| Ukraine war: Who are Russia's war bloggers and why are they popular? | Ukraine war: Who are Russia's war bloggers and why are they popular? |
| (25 days later) | |
| A billboard in the occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk paid tribute to war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky - using his real name Maxim Fomin | A billboard in the occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk paid tribute to war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky - using his real name Maxim Fomin |
| Vladlen Tatarsky, who died in an explosion in St Petersburg on Sunday, was one of Russia's "war correspondents". But who are these bloggers - and why are they popular? | Vladlen Tatarsky, who died in an explosion in St Petersburg on Sunday, was one of Russia's "war correspondents". But who are these bloggers - and why are they popular? |
| The writers are a loose assortment of people supporting the war in Ukraine and reporting about it, often from the front lines. They have extreme anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western views. | The writers are a loose assortment of people supporting the war in Ukraine and reporting about it, often from the front lines. They have extreme anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western views. |
| The correspondents - known as "voyenkory" in Russian - usually claim to have specialist military knowledge and access to Russian troops. | The correspondents - known as "voyenkory" in Russian - usually claim to have specialist military knowledge and access to Russian troops. |
| Some are embedded with them - and some appear to be fighting alongside them. | Some are embedded with them - and some appear to be fighting alongside them. |
| The degree of their affiliation with the government varies. Some are employed by Kremlin-controlled media, but others blog on social media - apparently without any links to any media outlet. | The degree of their affiliation with the government varies. Some are employed by Kremlin-controlled media, but others blog on social media - apparently without any links to any media outlet. |
| A major reason why they are so popular with Russian readers is they often offer more information than official reporting - and also offer a different, more critical perspective without questioning the need for the "special military operation". | A major reason why they are so popular with Russian readers is they often offer more information than official reporting - and also offer a different, more critical perspective without questioning the need for the "special military operation". |
| Russia cafe bomb suspect charged with terrorism | Russia cafe bomb suspect charged with terrorism |
| Their emergence - after the initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 - heralded a new chapter of war reporting in Russia. | Their emergence - after the initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 - heralded a new chapter of war reporting in Russia. |
| For many, supporting the war does not necessarily mean supporting the authorities in Moscow - or, in particular, the military commanders conducting the invasion (although President Putin usually escapes criticism). | For many, supporting the war does not necessarily mean supporting the authorities in Moscow - or, in particular, the military commanders conducting the invasion (although President Putin usually escapes criticism). |
| For example, the commanders were sharply criticised after a Ukrainian missile attack on a building in the occupied town of Makiivka, in which dozens of Russian soldiers died. | For example, the commanders were sharply criticised after a Ukrainian missile attack on a building in the occupied town of Makiivka, in which dozens of Russian soldiers died. |
| War correspondent Semyon Pegov, known as War Gonzo, has more than 1.2m subscribers on Telegram - one of the few major social media platforms not banned in Russia. | War correspondent Semyon Pegov, known as War Gonzo, has more than 1.2m subscribers on Telegram - one of the few major social media platforms not banned in Russia. |
| After Ukraine attacked Makiivka, he accused the defence ministry in Moscow of "openly trying to dodge the blame". | After Ukraine attacked Makiivka, he accused the defence ministry in Moscow of "openly trying to dodge the blame". |
| Another pro-war blogger, Boris Rozhin, who blogs as Colonel Cassad - with 800,000 subscribers on Telegram - accused Russian commanders of "incompetence and inability to comprehend the consequences of war". | Another pro-war blogger, Boris Rozhin, who blogs as Colonel Cassad - with 800,000 subscribers on Telegram - accused Russian commanders of "incompetence and inability to comprehend the consequences of war". |
| Social media accounts linked to the Wagner private military company have been particularly critical of Russia's top brass. | Social media accounts linked to the Wagner private military company have been particularly critical of Russia's top brass. |
| And it's this criticism of the military authorities that makes war correspondents stand out from the all-pervasive Kremlin-controlled propaganda, which routinely embellishes progress of the "special military operation" in Ukraine. | And it's this criticism of the military authorities that makes war correspondents stand out from the all-pervasive Kremlin-controlled propaganda, which routinely embellishes progress of the "special military operation" in Ukraine. |
| Watch: The moments leading up to St Petersburg cafe explosion | Watch: The moments leading up to St Petersburg cafe explosion |
| Some commentators have argued that Russian military commanders feel threatened by critical war bloggers, and there have been attempts to silence them. | Some commentators have argued that Russian military commanders feel threatened by critical war bloggers, and there have been attempts to silence them. |
| And popular war correspondents employed by traditional pro-Kremlin media tend to be much more accepting of the official line. | And popular war correspondents employed by traditional pro-Kremlin media tend to be much more accepting of the official line. |
| One of the most prominent is Alexander Kots, who works for the Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid. | One of the most prominent is Alexander Kots, who works for the Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid. |
| Responding to the killing of Vladlen Tatarsky, Kots pointed the finger of blame squarely at Ukraine - just like Russian officials did. | Responding to the killing of Vladlen Tatarsky, Kots pointed the finger of blame squarely at Ukraine - just like Russian officials did. |
| "Earth must be set on fire under the feet of any functionary from Kyiv," he wrote. "None of the non-humans waging war with Russia must feel safe." | "Earth must be set on fire under the feet of any functionary from Kyiv," he wrote. "None of the non-humans waging war with Russia must feel safe." |
| Such reporters play a key role in constructing the Kremlin's narratives in the media. | Such reporters play a key role in constructing the Kremlin's narratives in the media. |
| For example, it was Yevgeny Poddubny, the war correspondent on Russia's most popular TV station, state-run Rossiya 1, who broke the official silence on Wagner mercenaries' involvement in Ukraine. | For example, it was Yevgeny Poddubny, the war correspondent on Russia's most popular TV station, state-run Rossiya 1, who broke the official silence on Wagner mercenaries' involvement in Ukraine. |
| Reporting from the ruins of a power station in Donbas in July 2022, he unexpectedly said that the site had been "liberated" by Wagner. | Reporting from the ruins of a power station in Donbas in July 2022, he unexpectedly said that the site had been "liberated" by Wagner. |
| This marked the start of reporting about Wagner in state-run media, which had previously ignored and even denied the group's existence. | This marked the start of reporting about Wagner in state-run media, which had previously ignored and even denied the group's existence. |
| Both Kots and Poddubny are subject to Western sanctions for their role in pro-Kremlin propaganda against Ukraine. | Both Kots and Poddubny are subject to Western sanctions for their role in pro-Kremlin propaganda against Ukraine. |
| Many of the popular Russian social media accounts supporting the war with Ukraine are run anonymously and material they post is often extremely graphic. | Many of the popular Russian social media accounts supporting the war with Ukraine are run anonymously and material they post is often extremely graphic. |
| One of the most infamous examples is Grey Zone, a Telegram channel affiliated with Wagner, which posted footage of the apparent murder of a "traitor" with a sledgehammer in November 2022. | One of the most infamous examples is Grey Zone, a Telegram channel affiliated with Wagner, which posted footage of the apparent murder of a "traitor" with a sledgehammer in November 2022. |
| Russian war correspondents often call for the destruction of Ukraine as an independent state. For example, Yuri Kotenok has called for the annihilation of the very Ukrainian identity. | Russian war correspondents often call for the destruction of Ukraine as an independent state. For example, Yuri Kotenok has called for the annihilation of the very Ukrainian identity. |
| "Even cancer can be cured, but Ukrainianism - never!" he once said on Telegram. "It's a type of Satanism that can only be destroyed with one thing - fire! All-consuming fire that will cleanse this filth." | "Even cancer can be cured, but Ukrainianism - never!" he once said on Telegram. "It's a type of Satanism that can only be destroyed with one thing - fire! All-consuming fire that will cleanse this filth." |
| Kotenok has more than 400,000 subscribers on Telegram. | Kotenok has more than 400,000 subscribers on Telegram. |