Russia is planning a large-scale psy-op called “Telemost” (“Telebridge”) to conceal their war crimes in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories, in particular in Oleshky (Kherson oblast), Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Department reported in a Facebook post.

According to the agency, Russia plans to hold an international “telebridge” (Zoom conference) titled “The UDF Crimes Against the Civilian Population of Zaporizhzhia Oblast”. An effort is being made to involve representatives of around 80 countries: the diplomatic corps of UN, OSCE, BRICS, and CIS member states, as well as international humanitarian organisations. The conference is planned to have simultaneous interpretation into English, Spanish, and French.

The event is to be hosted by Rodion Miroshnyk, an occupation administration ex-official who has been included in sanctions lists and works for Russian propaganda. The conference is also set to feature speeches by by the Russia-appointed Zaporizhzhia oblast “governor”, Yevhen Balytskyi, occupation administration officials from Enerhodar and Tokmak, and several people who, Ukraine’s intelligence believes, are being prepared to perform as fake witnesses. Representatives of Russian state media, embassies, and “Rossotrudnichestvo” offices in Zambia, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, Bulgaria, Venezuela, Mongolia, and Malaysia are also to be involved in the event.

The agency remarked that the operation’s objective was to divert the world’s attention from Russia’s war crimes, including the critical humanitarian situation in occupied Oleshky, which was caused by Russia’s actions. Another goal, the intelligence says, is to halt or undermine international support for Ukraine in light of the EU Council’s recent decision to allocate a €90 billion loan and to create an EU–Ukraine alliance in drone production.

Who is Rodion Miroshnyk

Rodion Miroshnyk was once the press secretary to ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, a Luhansk Oblast Council official from the now-outlawed “Party of Regions”, and director of the Luhansk Oblast Broadcasting Company. Miroshnyk has worked for the “LPR” since 2014 and has been outspoken about his anti-Ukrainian views.

In 2017, the Luhansk oblast prosecutor’s office put Miroshnyk on a wanted list. He was charged with crimes linked to encroachment on Ukraine’s constitutional order, changing the outline of its territory, and involvement in a terrorist organisation.

In April 2022, Miroshnyk posted a video filmed from the positions of “LPR” militants, where he held a shell in his hands and urged Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms.

In 2023, Miroshnyk took up a post at Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as “Russian ambassador-at-large for crimes of the Kyiv regime.” In June 2024, the European Union imposed sanctions on him.

In December 2024, the head of the Luhansk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office served Miroshnyk with a notice of suspicion of collaborationism.