31 July 2026

Russian propagandists have threatened to impose a naval blockade on ports in the Odesa region

(PHOTO: oblrada.od.gov.ua)

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Russian propaganda continues to focus on Odesa. In Russia, officials are repeating claims that Russia is actively destroying Ukraine with ballistic missiles that Ukraine cannot intercept, and they are awaiting the imposition of a</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>naval blockade and the destruction of Ukraine’s “shadow fleet.”</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>These findings were released by the non-governmental organization CAT-UA.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Overall, coverage of attacks on Ukraine in Russia is lower than last week (7.1% versus 9.8% of the sample). Attention to recruitment ads has dropped slightly (6.6% vs. 10.5%), while reports of Ukraine shelling Russian territory have come to the forefront (12.6% vs. 8.5%). Russian propagandists are complaining about long-range drones striking as far as Siberia and the Urals. Attention remains focused on the strikes against Wildberries, but comments on them no longer reflect the initial shock. </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Anti-war activists emphasize the growing domestic discontent in Russia due to strikes on its territory and attacks on the commercial sector, which are prompting civilians to increasingly question the authorities. Opposition figure Garry Kasparov explicitly defends Ukraine’s right to any symmetrical response.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>At the same time, Russians are being urged to prepare for a difficult winter. Military correspondent </span></span></span></span></span></span>Alexander Kots<span><span><span><span><span><span> predicts that the winter will be very harsh for Russians, as Ukraine will target the energy sector.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Russians are not particularly interested in the appointment of Mykhailo Drapaty. Comments on this topic accounted for </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>0.8% of the pro-war sample. </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>The non-governmental organization “CAT-UA” (Center for Anthropological Research) is a Ukrainian think tank specializing in the study of social transformations, strategic communications, and information security. In their research, the organization’s experts combine an anthropological approach with media analysis to study the impact of Russian disinformation, expose hostile manipulation campaigns, and assess society’s psychological resilience during wartime.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Earlier, during the presentation of </span></span></span></span></span></span>the sociological study “Assessment of the Religious Situation: Odesa Region,” it was reported that residents of the Odesa region largely support the use of the Ukrainian language in church and believe that the state should respond to the activities of religious organizations if they threaten the country’s security. At the same time, the majority of respondents affirmed their freedom of religion and stated that they do not face oppression because of their religious beliefs. 

Юлія Калабайда

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