TikTok video preceding oil depot blaze: Russian authorities apprehend social media personalities
In the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both nations have been making headlines with significant developments.
Russian authorities arrested two TikTok influencers, Dasha Vladimirovna and Karina Evgenyevna, for filming a social media video in front of a burning oil depot in Sochi, Russia. The video, which showed the influencers posing and rapping against the backdrop of large flames and thick smoke, had been the result of a Ukrainian drone strike. Authorities accused them of glorifying the Ukrainian attack, which was politically sensitive amid the ongoing conflict. After their detention, the influencers apologised in court and expressed readiness to be punished under Russian law.
This incident reflects Russia's stringent control over information related to the Ukraine conflict, penalizing social media content that they interpret as supportive of Ukraine’s military actions or embarrassing to Russia. The crackdown aims to control public perception and prevent the spread of content seen as undermining the Russian government’s narrative of the war.
Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that Russia is renovating the airport in Donetsk to significantly expand the use of attack drones. This move could potentially escalate Russia's drone warfare, as Ukrainian military intelligence suggests Russia is preparing to increase production of Shahed/Geran-2 combat drones to up to 40,000 this year.
On the battlefield, the Ukrainian military has reported 183 engagements with Russia over the past day, with the situation being most intense in the Pokrovsk region. Ukrainian forces have also reportedly attacked a fuel depot at Sochi airport in southern Russia using drones.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have reported the destruction of a Russian S-300 air defense system in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia. In response, Russian soldiers are wrapping tanks in miles of NATO barbed wire to counter Ukrainian drones during their invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Russian attacks on civilian targets, stating that "Russia is hunting civilians along the entire front line." At least seven civilians were killed and at least 13 more injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over the past day.
In a positive development, Ukraine and Russia are currently organizing an exchange of 1,200 prisoners of war each, as announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Lastly, US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Russia on Wednesday, according to Russian and US sources. However, the Kremlin has warned US President Donald Trump to exercise caution in his nuclear rhetoric after he announced the deployment of two American nuclear submarines.
The ongoing conflict continues to shape the geopolitical landscape, with both nations implementing strategic moves on the battlefield and in the realm of information control. As the situation evolves, it is crucial to stay informed and understand the complexities of this ongoing conflict.
References: [1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-authorities-arrest-tiktok-influencers-over-video-near-ukrainian-drone-strike-2022-06-28/ [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61961581 [3] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/28/world/europe/russia-ukraine-tiktok-influencers.html
- The detention of TikTok influencers Dasha Vladimirovna and Karina Evgenyevna by Russian authorities highlights the strict community policy in Russia, which penalizes content viewed as supportive of Ukraine’s military actions or embarrassing to Russia.
- The ambitious expansion of Donetsk airport by Russia, as reported by the Institute for the Study of War, suggests a potential intensification of war-and-conflicts related politics, as Russia prepares to increase production of Shahed/Geran-2 combat drones.
