Russian pro-war commentators talk strategy, L.A. wildfires, and Elon Musk salute at Moscow bloggers’ conference
Russian pro-war commentators convened in Moscow on Sunday for an event called the All-Russian Forum of Patriotic Bloggers, where they discussed topics ranging from the dangers of Western values to modern “war correspondents” and Elon Musk, according to the Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Novosti.
The forum, officially titled “Our Weapon is the Word,” featured a lineup of speakers that included State Duma deputies, priests, Telegram channel administrators, and military personnel. The event aimed to equip attendees with strategies to effectively manage “patriotic” Telegram channels and grow their follower base.
Russia’s pro-war bloggers
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One speaker, a deputy battalion commander named Viktor Isaev, reportedly praised war correspondents like Evgeniy Poddubny and Alexander Kots for their supposed commitment to truth:
I ask bloggers to pay attention to the veterans who have returned. It’s not about giving them attention, but from them, you’ll hear the kind of truths that won’t be shown on TV. For example, in the battle for Lyman, the Banderites had numerical superiority, but we managed to take some positions. What’s important is that we don’t lie on TV — better to stay silent.
The speakers also discussed recent news from the United States. Businessman Andrey Kovalev claimed that Elon Musk’s hand gesture resembling a Nazi salute at last week’s presidential inauguration was his way of “expressing love for the country.” Actors from the film The Adventures of Elektronic — a remake of a 1979 Soviet film — joked about the wildfires in Los Angeles: “There, where there’s a fire, everyone runs away from it, but in Russia, everyone runs toward it to put it out.”
Additionally, the forum saw the announcement of a video game about Russia’s “special military operation” and the Wagner Group paramilitary cartel. According to Dmitry Nazarov, the game will be called “The Best in Hell” and will be released in two years.
Special Military Operation
The Kremlin’s euphemism for its full-scale war against Ukraine