Russians bring ‘battalion’ of propagandists to occupied Melitopol – mayor

The relevant statement was made by Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov during a nationwide telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to Fedorov, in Melitopol’s information space, there is no unbiased news but Russian propaganda only.

“They are printing nearly all newspapers which used to be published before February 24, 2022. They only replaced letters with their ‘Z’ and ‘V’ symbols, and are trying to spread their propaganda that way. They brought a large number of the so-called journalists from continental Russia, who are running around Melitopol and talking about good living conditions under occupation, mistaking the wish for the reality,” Fedorov told.

For example, Russian occupiers say they will repair a local sports school. But, in fact, that facility was renovated back in 2017.

Additionally, they talk about the construction of a maternity hospital. However, it was built in 2021.

“A whole ‘battalion’ of propagandists trying to brainwash people, but they are mostly focused on those who live in Russia,” Fedorov added.

In his words, Russian occupiers even established a fake union of journalists in Melitopol, as they see the town as their administrative center. At the same time, none of the Ukrainian mass media professionals who used to work in Melitopol prior to the Russian invasion agreed to collaborate with the enemy.