ISW explains why Kremlin use military correspondents more

This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

"The Kremlin is increasingly integrating select milbloggers into its information campaigns, likely in an effort to regain a dominant narrative within the information space," ISW analysts said.

It is reported that a participant in the occupied Donetsk region hostilities, a Russian journalist gave an almost 20-minute interview to the Russian federal TV channel. There he spread the main propaganda narratives about mobilization and support of military actions.

War correspondent blamed the weakness of mobilized men who complain about poor conditions on the front line. He made a sexist remark about women making emotional appeals and urged them to refrain from complaining about their husbands' problems.

He also criticized Russians who left the country in protest against the war: "those Russians lacked respect for their society and its interests."

"These statements are consistent with recent acknowledgments by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Ministry of Defense of problems with mobilization and generating support for the war that likely aim to prepare the Russian society for a protracted war," the Institute's experts believe.

It is noted that Putin offers war correspondent high positions to strengthen the promotion of Kremlin narratives. Particularly, a new member of the Russian Human Rights Council, a journalist, distributed an official statement of the Council about the lack of information about the forced mobilization of prisoners to participate in the war.

"Putin’s appointment of these milbloggers to official positions also suggests his approval of their extreme and sometimes genocidal statements," the Institute for the Study of War summed up.

• On December 21, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov said that the Russian authorities are considering the issue of general mobilization in the country.