The “Hero of the future” project: a forge for russian propaganda personnel in the temporarily occupied territories

The kremlin recognizes the crucial role propaganda plays in maintaining control over the population in the occupied regions of Ukraine. To that end, it generously funds both media outlets and various projects aimed at equipping the propaganda machine with suitable personnel.

▫️ One such project is the “Hero of the future” media forum, organized by the russian union of journalists. A recent on-site forum included events held in occupied Donetsk, Melitopol, and Henichesk.

▫️ The forum was attended by aspiring journalists and young residents of the TOT interested in journalism. The speakers, referred to as “mentors,” were media managers from russia and the occupied territories, alongside representatives from the russian union of journalists.

Such initiatives are part of russia’s broader strategy to establish total control over the media space in the TOT and cultivate a new generation of journalists loyal to the occupation authorities and ready to spread kremlin narratives.