A Major Uproar Has Broken Out In The Kremlin Over Russian Drones
3- 1.08.2026, 12:53
- 4,876
"Save Face" isn't coming out.
The Kremlin is trying to “save face” and maintain the illusion that the war is having a minimal impact on the lives of ordinary Russians.
In recent months, Ukraine has been increasingly using drones to carry out strikes on warehouses, oil refineries, and military factories deep inside Russia. And now the Kremlin is trying to prevent Russians from posting videos of the destruction caused by these strikes on social media, writes The Wall Street Journal. Police across Russia have detained people for filming the attacks and publicly warned that doing so could be considered treason.
In recent months, restrictions on filming the strikes have been imposed in about two-thirds of Russia’s regions. In May, as Ukraine intensified its strikes on Moscow, the Russian capital banned the publication of photos and videos showing the aftermath of the attacks.
Russian authorities claim that the dissemination of videos of the attacks online allows Ukraine to assess the damage and pinpoint the likely locations of Russian air defense systems. Critics argue that the ban is an attempt by the Kremlin to save face, designed to maintain the illusion that the war has minimal impact on the lives of ordinary Russians.
As Abbas Gallyamov, Putin’s former speechwriter, notes, for the general public, “visual images are far more important than words”:
“If there are no images of targets on fire, it will be much easier to maintain the illusion that everything is going according to plan.”
As the WSJ notes, Russia tried to restrict the spread of videos and information online even at the start of the war, but has now stepped up its efforts as Ukraine’s strikes have become more intense and have spread further into the country, including into Siberia.
Andrei Broy, a local opposition politician from the city of Yaroslavl, said he was summoned to the prosecutor’s office after he posted a video in which only the sound of a drone could be heard.
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A Moscow resident said that people are now afraid to post photos and videos of drones. They fear drawing the attention of the authorities and being held accountable for these posts.
At the same time, Russian authorities and law enforcement agencies are issuing harsh warnings, threatening citizens who film Ukrainian drones with charges of treason and imprisonment for up to 20 years, if the footage reveals the location of air defense systems and is deemed useful to the enemy.
“Everyone who sends in such videos should be put in prison,” pro-Kremlin TV host Vladimir Solovyov declared in June.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Strikes on Russia
According to polls, the strikes on Wildberries warehouses in the Moscow and Tambov regions became the most discussed topic on Russian social media, surpassing attacks on oil refineries in popularity. Russians overwhelmingly distrust official reports, hold the authorities and Putin responsible, but at the same time actively support calls for “retaliatory strikes” against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Foreign Policy reports that Wildberries plays a much more significant role in supplying the Russian military than might appear at first glance. The marketplace has effectively become one of the key channels for supplying equipment to the Russian military. Due to shortages, delays, and problems in official military logistics, many units rely on private purchases, volunteer aid, and crowdfunding.
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