Don’t Believe Russia’s Propaganda About the Oleshky Evacuation

Detailed summary

Opinion | Before Russian television cameras arrived in Oleshky, the occupation authorities had cleared bodies and rubbish from the streets.

Before Russian television cameras arrived in Oleshky, the occupation authorities had cleared bodies and rubbish from the streets. Residents told volunteers the curbs were being painted for the cameras. Before filming itself supposedly saving Oleshky, Russia first had to hide what life under its rule had become.

Across 400 Russian TV segments and Telegram posts from October 20 to November 2, the script barely varied. The crisis was an “artificial humanitarian catastrophe” made by Kyiv, whose drones had mined the roads and blockaded the town; the ceasefire was Russia refusing to let Zelensky stage “a second Bucha.” Russia was the rescuer: sappers, medics, 25 buses with at least 750 seats, a separate bus for pets, and…

Opening of the article, excerpted from The Moscow Times. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.