Invaders suppressing pro-Ukrainian sentiments in captured territories — Maliar

“For this purpose, the Russian invaders improve the practice of constant and situational response to manifestations of patriotic citizens through the use of planned and sudden checks and repressive measures and special propaganda actions,” Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Maliar posted on Telegram.

Since the beginning of this August, the Russians in the temporarily captured territory of Zaporizhzhia region intensified the introduction of the Russian grant program "Russia: country of opportunities", which, under the guise of finding and supporting talented local youth, involves aggressively imposing pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian sentiments on them.

In addition, representatives of the FSB of the Russian Federation intensified the search for pro-Ukrainian local citizens.

As Maliar noted, for this purpose, the number of mobile checkpoints was increased, where Russian servicemen carefully check mobile phones and the availability of SIM cards of Ukrainian operators in civilians.

At the same time, the Russian invaders from time to time, without warning, prohibit the movement of citizens in settlements where signs of pro-Ukrainian sentiments of the population are detected.

In particular, on August 24 of this year, a ban on the entry and exit of citizens was suddenly declared in the settlement of Velyki Kopani in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region.

The reason for blocking the settlement was the alleged detection of Ukrainian state symbols.