Russia parades fake ‘foreign journalists’ to mask occupation of Ukrainian territories

Russia is importing so-called foreign journalists into temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in an effort to disguise its occupation and spread propaganda, the National Resistance Center (NRC) reports.

These trips, according to the NRC, are organized to create the impression of “normalcy” and legality. Recently, the so-called “Turkish journalist” Okay Deprem visited the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region.

“Russian media immediately used his visit to spread narratives about ‘fighting Nazism’ and alleged ‘Ukrainian attacks on ZNPP,’” the NRC said.

Deprem has long-standing ties to the Kremlin. As early as 2016, Russia-controlled media reported that he had received “citizenship” from the Kremlin-controlled and administered occupied part of the Luhansk regional authorities. 

“In other words, he is not a foreign expert but a propagandist presented as a journalist to create the illusion of ‘international support,’” the NRC said.

The center stresses that “this is not journalism, but propaganda serving the war effort.”

Previously, Russian occupiers launched propaganda courses for schoolchildren in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.