Russia is enlisting the Russian Orthodox Church to spread propaganda among young people in occupied Donetsk Oblast
Russia is intensifying its ideological influence on young people in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, using religious organizations for this purpose. In particular, a youth forum titled “Orthodox Donbas” was held in the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast.
Hundreds of young people took part in the event in occupied Donetsk. Denis Pushilin, head of the occupation administration of Donetsk Oblast, stated that they plan to hold the forum annually and use it as a platform for the ideological education of young people.
The Center for Counter-Propaganda notes that in this way, the Kremlin is attempting to draw Ukrainian youth into the structures of the Russian Orthodox Church and foster a pro-Russian environment among teenagers. Through public events, the occupiers seek to strengthen their propaganda influence and impose a Russian identity on young people.
The Center also emphasized that the Russian Orthodox Church is, in fact, being used by the Kremlin as a propaganda tool, specifically to indoctrinate the population in the occupied territories and justify Russian aggression.
Source: Center for Countering Disinformation.
On August 28, the “ATESH” partisan movement reported a new scheme for recruiting men into the Russian army in occupied Donetsk. According to the movement, potential conscripts are sought out in bars and on the streets, after which they are transported to military recruitment offices while heavily intoxicated.
The Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) reported that it had uncovered concrete evidence of Russian intelligence services recruiting Danish citizens via social media and gaming platforms.
