‘So Russians don’t fear them’ Putin administration tells pro-government media not to report on crimes committed by returning soldiers — Meduza
meduza.io
Two sources close to the Russian government have told Meduza that the Putin administration has instructed the country’s state-controlled and pro-Kremlin media not to report on crimes committed by Russians who have returned from fighting in the war in Ukraine, including mercenaries and former convicts who received amnesty in exchange for going to war.

The move comes as some pro-government outlets have enthusiastically been reporting on crimes committed by Russians who have returned from fighting in the war in Ukraine, including mercenaries and former convicts who received amnesty in exchange for going to war. “Crime always brings good traffic, and mentioning the special military operation in the headline warms up the audience, making the news more clickable,” one source close to the Kremlin said under the condition of anonymity.