From Europe to Russia

We tell you how foreign z-activists go to Moscow for freedom and what they actually get

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the West's hardening stance, some pro-war activists in Europe have come under pressure. In the EU, they broke laws, provoked Ukrainian refugees and used Soviet and Russian symbols. In Russia they saw a safe haven and an opportunity to continue their activities without restrictions. Therefore, they moved there - some of their own free will, and others as a result of deportation.

“New Europe” tells how their fate turned out in Russia.

Yulia Prokhorova

Yulia Prokhorova was born in 1992 in the village of Bezenchuk, Samara region, Russia. In Moscow, she worked as a cashier at the Pyaterochka store.

In 2020 she moved to Germany, settling in Landshut, Lower Bavaria, with a German partner. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Prokhorova began openly supporting Russian policies and criticizing Ukrainian authorities and refugees. On May 9, 2022, wrapped in a Russian flag, she performed the “Kalinka” dance in front of a pro-Ukrainian demonstration in Munich, claiming to oppose “increasing Russophobia” in Germany.

Her provocations continued: she published videos with calls to support Russia, and showed how she kept letters from the German police in the bathroom instead of toilet paper. On the day of the Russian missile attack on Ukrainian cities, October 10, 2022, she published a video collage of dancing to the sounds of explosions, which caused a wave of indignation on social networks.

On October 14, 2022, police in Lower Bavaria raided her apartment, confiscating three smartphones and a laptop on suspicion of inciting hatred and supporting war. In November, she was spotted with police escort at Berlin airport, sparking rumors of deportation. However, German authorities said there was no deportation and Prokhorova was still in the country. In December 2022, it became known that she had finally moved to Russia:

- Fuck. I'm fucking free. Repression is no fucking fun.

Prokhorova ironically said that even in prison, Navalny had more freedom than she had in Germany: “he writes posts, gives interviews, has fun on social networks and, like everyone else, sucks cock.”

She admitted that she did not want to live in Germany and “before the Northern Military District”:

- There’s no shit there, you know? Living in this mode on a permanent basis is difficult. I'm used to freedom.

Prokhorova also expressed her goals of “changing Russia” and called herself a “people's oppositionist”:

— I am for the interests of Russia. I am for the Russian people. I was repressed, but I didn’t even receive a ruble from the Kremlin.

The girl stated that if she were in power, the first thing she would do “would be to lobby for a tax law of 60% for those who work for white masters.” She insisted: “There is freedom of speech in Russia, but not in Germany.”

Also, after her return, she claimed that life in Russia had practically not changed, despite Western sanctions. According to her, “people go to cafes, restaurants and other entertainment, have fun and enjoy life, stores are overflowing with food, there is no shortage, even cola is in abundance” ( spelling preserved - editor's note ).

Prokhorova also noted: “The air here is different, you can breathe more freely. Security, freedom, peace - kaef" ( spelling preserved - editor's note ). Her publications were accompanied by caustic remarks about the West and praise of Russian politics. She did not hide her admiration for Putin's strategy, declaring that Russia had won the “information war” and Ukraine was losing support from the international community. “The winners are not judged,” she added.

The girl also managed to write a book “about the delights of a democratic, free Europe”; it has not yet been published.

In August 2024, Prokhorova unexpectedly announced that she was leaving social networks. She said goodbye to her subscribers in the Telegram channel, writing: “I had a good time with you, but it’s time to leave. Thank you for your support and help. I love you and this love will last forever." The new owner of her channel wished to remain anonymous.

Kirill Fedorov

Kirill Fedorov, known under the pseudonym Alconafter, is a Russian blogger who actively covers military conflicts, especially those related to Russia and Ukraine. He was born on September 3, 1991 in Latvia, in Riga, where he received his education. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia, worked in the field of jurisprudence and at the same time began to become interested in the military sphere.

Since 2013, he started a YouTube channel dedicated to the history of weapons and military equipment. On the channel, Fedorov examined in detail various types of weapons. In February 2022, he actively supported the actions of the Russian army. For this, in March 2022, Latvian special services detained Fedorov on charges of inciting hatred and justifying military action. The Latvian prosecutor's office referred to materials that Fedorov published on his social networks, calling for Russian support.

After his arrest in March, the blogger spent several months under investigation before being released on bail in June 2022.

In March 2023, Fedorov announced his move to Moscow. In his video, where he walks around the Russian capital at night, he said that he will now be able to “influence the situation from the inside” and that his goal is to support Russia while being directly in the country. According to him, the return became for him a logical continuation of his political and social position.

After the move, Fedorov continued to publish military reviews and videos, actively covering current events. His content includes topics such as helping military personnel, raising funds to support the army, as well as live broadcasts in which he discusses politics, military conflicts and news with invited guests. Popular videos include “What will change with the arrival of Trump?”, “How many people participate in the CBO?” and “Liberation of the Kursk region.” His official VKontakte group publishes new and archival materials under the slogan “Long live Russia, its Army and its people!” ( spelling preserved - editor's note ).

Vladimir Vodo

Vladimir Vodo, a Russian citizen, was deported from Lithuania on May 24, 2024 by decision of the Lithuanian authorities. He lived there since 1989 and received a residence permit in 1993. Vodo worked as a journalist, disseminated pro-Russian ideas and demonstrated disloyalty to Lithuania, which was the reason for the cancellation of his residence permit.

According to the man himself, on March 30, 2023, his life changed dramatically: Vodo was complained about on social networks, accusing him of disloyalty to Lithuania. The next day, he received a questionnaire from the Migration Department asking about his position on the Ukrainian conflict and the status of Crimea. Vodo, as he himself stated, indicated that he opposed any military action, but refused to comment on the issue of Crimea, explaining that this could violate Russian laws on territorial integrity, which in Russia could lead to criminal penalties.

According to the conclusion of the Lithuanian Department of State Security (DSS), he posed a threat to national security and was subject to deportation. Vodo tried to appeal the deportation, relying on his long family and social ties in Lithuania, as well as the need to care for his sick mother. However, his requests remained unanswered. He complained that he had no relatives, friends or means of livelihood outside Lithuania. However, Vodo was detained in Vilnius and placed in the Foreigners Registration Center in Pabrade. The next day he was taken to the Kibartai border checkpoint and deported to Russia. Since then, there has been no information in open sources about his future fate or public activities.

Elena Kolbasnikova and Maxim Shlund

Elena Kolbasnikova and Max Schlund (formerly known as Rostislav Teslyuk) are pro-Russian activists who have lived in Germany for more than ten years. Elena lived in Dnepr before emigrating, and Teslyuk was an officer in the Russian Air Force. The couple did not say how exactly they met. After moving to Germany, the man changed his name to Max Schlund. In Cologne, Kolbasnikova worked as a nurse, and Schlund worked in a parcel delivery service at the airport.

After 2022, they actively organized actions in Germany calling on the authorities to stop military support for Ukraine. Following a Reuters investigation that revealed their ties to the Kremlin and financial assistance from a Russian government organization, German authorities banned them from entering the country for 20 years, calling them a threat to national security.

German prosecutors also searched their home near Cologne, finding that they used funds collected in Germany to purchase radios and other devices for the Russian army fighting in Ukraine. Moreover, the court fined Kolbasnikova 900 euros for publicly endorsing the aggressive war in Ukraine.

In June, the couple said they had moved to Russia, citing discrimination against Russians in Europe. The couple maintain a telegram channel in which they regularly talk about their new life:

“My life is dedicated to Russia and helping the Northern Military District. I am walking with the Russian flag through the enemy line. And I don't stop. At the same time, I was born in Dnepropetrovsk. She left it in 1996. I absolutely did not know fascist Ukraine and the Bandera regime. It has never flown anywhere under the flag of Ukraine,” writes Kolbasnikova (spelling and punctuation preserved).

Activists regularly help the Popular Front, organize collections to help Belgorod residents and playgrounds in Donbass.

In October, they publicly appealed to the “Nazi authorities in Germany”, saying that they were “happy to live in Russia”, but would achieve permission to freely enter any country:

- You are thinking of isolating us and stopping the access of TRUTH to Germany and Europe. But the truth, like water, flows everywhere. And your people already HATE you, knowing her. One day they will get tired of putting up with your Berlin-Washington decisions.