PODOLIAKA Yurii Ivanovich

He is one of the key figures in the kremlin's information campaign and directly influences the formation of public opinion.
After the start of russian aggression against Ukraine in 2014, he moved to russia and actively supports putin's policy and russia's military aggression against Ukraine.
He is a member of the putin Team movement, which supports putin in the presidential election.
The main tools of his informational influence are the propaganda RuTube channel and the Telegram channel "The World Today with Yuriy Podolyaka", which actively spread anti-Ukrainian narratives, glorify the russian armed forces and provide distorted information about russia's war against Ukraine.
It actively justifies the war crimes of the russian army and discredits the Ukrainian government, promotes the kremlin's narratives of "denazification of Ukraine" and "protection of the russian-speaking population", legitimizing the occupation of Ukrainian territories. Among his disinformation statements is the claim that the massacre in Bucha was "staged by Kyiv", which is fully consistent with key kremlin propaganda narratives.
It also systematically discredits international assistance to Ukraine, spreading claims that "the West is using Ukraine for its own purposes" and promoting the narrative of "NATO's war against russia by the hands of Ukrainians". Such statements are aimed at undermining international support for Ukraine and fostering a negative attitude toward Western assistance.
In February 2023, he was awarded by putin "for his contribution to the activities of the russian Military History Society".
In 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine notified Podoliaka of suspicion of high treason and adjustment of missile strikes on Mykolaiv. According to the investigation, he passed information to the russian military, facilitating strikes on the city's civilian infrastructure.
In December 2023, he was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for collaborating with the enemy and participating in the adjustment of fire against Ukraine.