A ‘deep fake’ Announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin on TV with his computer martial law and total mobilization in border areas. Drones hitting Russian residential buildings. Russian anti-Kremlin militias occupy all the towns on the border with Ukraine. Bombardment of Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine Crimea, Donetsk anyone lugansk. How Russian civilians feel the distance between the facade and their house is blurring punctual and reminds them that it’s not 2019.
Despite the mobilization sanctions and the problems arising from the Russian attack, for many Russians the best option was to try to move on as if nothing had happened. The difficulty of leaving the country, especially for those with limited economic means, and the common feeling that they cannot do anything to change the course drawn by the Government, we have to move forward. That’s why Muscovites danced as part of the city festival – something vaguely equivalent to major festivals in Spain – the Ukrainians began their counterattack in Kherson in early September.
While there are multiple reminders of the current situation, the most famous was May 30. dozens of drones They hit different parts of Moscow, some in residential buildings. A significant number of these were shot down by anti-aircraft defense systems, and none of them serious property damage or victims. But what scared the residents of the Russian capital was a coup by Ukraine’s allies – Kiev denied involvement in the incident. Beyond the worry of the average Russian citizen, authorities took action on the issue, building a new bunker in one of the capital’s most exclusive hospitals.
But what sparked a general reaction was the partial mobilization last September, when thousands of Russians tried to leave the country by land and air to reach bordering countries. Kazakhistan, Armenia, Georgia And Azerbaijan, among others. The prospect of general mobilization also worries citizens. Knowing this, the ‘hacker’ supporters of the Kiev government – Ukrainian authorities deny being behind this sabotage – tried to repeat a similar moment last Monday when they put the announcement of a new mobilization in the border areas with Ukraine into Putin’s mouth. It is not the first ‘hack’ by pro-Kiev groups. Already in 2022, they managed to make pro-Ukrainian propaganda on Russian television in some parts of the country.
on the border with Ukraine
The regions that were least detached from the conflict were the closest regions. kursk, Bryanskand especially, Belgorod. These regions know what it’s like to be subjected to timely bombardments and other types of attacks. More recently, they have been seen even in the midst of shootings and capturing cities, which triggered all the alarms and swept the Russian authorities. state of emergency and even the governor of the Belgorod region called for the evacuation of the areas closest to the Ukrainian border.
A separate case are territories controlled by Russia, but internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. Donetsk and Lugansk have been at war with Kiev since 2014, although they have been dormant since 2016. However, the ceasefire was repeatedly violated by both sides. irregular bombardment and use of drones and mines. Crimea has suffered some of Ukraine’s biggest attacks, which demoralized Russia, especially the missile against the Kerch Strait bridge. Its opening with great fanfare was a source of great pride for the Kremlin and Russian propaganda, and the act of war was an assault on the depths of Russian nationalism that cheered “Krim nash” (Crimea is ours) in 2014. Moscow annexed the peninsula, facing the rejection of the international community.