Ex-Russian TV Editor Reveals Kremlin Creates Custom News to 'Zombify' Putin

A former editor of Russian state television, Dmitry Skorobutov, has disclosed that the Kremlin has been creating specially edited news programs for over a decade to shape President Vladimir Putin's perception of reality.

According to him, the practice began in 2011 after mass protests at Bolotnaya Square. The events shocked Putin's inner circle, leading them to isolate the leader from real information. Regular evening broadcasts, such as "Vesti," were specially prepared: negative news was removed, flattering content was added, and the truth was embellished to create an impression of a "wonderful Russia" and an excellent president.

These recorded programs were then shown to Putin through the press service. Skorobutov emphasized that the Russian leader currently has a very limited information environment and knows little about the real situation, including the war in Ukraine.

A striking example was the sinking of the cruiser Moskva. According to the editor, Putin was kept in the dark for over a week about the loss of the ship, and was instead told that the Russian army remained the "second strongest in the world."

For context: in December 2011, thousands gathered at Bolotnaya Square to protest the falsification of parliamentary election results, and in May 2012, the "Million March" took place, leading to clashes with police.