Putin’s Fund for Cultural Initiatives: How the Russian Authorities Are Trying to Create “One People” 

The team of the Civil Network OPORA is telling about the life of de-occupied communities: what Russians left behind, and what issues local authorities need to address in the first place to be able to bring back people and normal life. This time, the story is about Snihurivka (Mykolayiv Oblast) that has been under the occupation for eight months. Russians used Snihurivka to continue their advance to Mykolayiv. That is why the de-occupation of the place was a precondition for the liberation of Kherson by the Ukrainian army, last November. 

This autumn, Russians plan to hold the so-called “elections” for 79 municipal associations and “legislative bodies” (occupation administrations) in parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts, and also the “by-elections” to the “state duma” in the occupied Crimea.

According to research carried out by Civil Network OPORA, 76.6% of Ukrainians perceive residents of the occupied territories as victims of circumstances and hostages of the occupation forces. This applies to residents of territories that were occupied after February 24, 2022, as well as residents of Crimea and certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts that have been under Russian occupation since 2014. OPORA’s analysts Anatoliy Bondarchuk and Dmytro Bashtovyi delivered a presentation of research results at Ukraine Media Center - Ukrinform press event held on August 23, 2023.

Russia plans to hold so-called “elections” to the “legislative bodies” (in other words, occupation governments) in the occupied areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as well as in 79 municipal districts this coming fall.

Almost fully destroyed by the Russians, Mariupol has been under occupation for a year. The Ukrainian information space receives little reports about the life of its inhabitants and the functioning of the infrastructure. However, we can see that Russia is trying to paint a picture of the “reconstruction” in the city. On the bones.