It's surprising how much space Russian narratives occupy in Ukrainian reality, says Sergey Fursa.

I am astonished by the discussions about whether it is good or bad that Ukrainians received grants from the USA.

I am surprised by the debates regarding the fairness of the punishment for the mother of many children, Kryukova.

I am bewildered that Russian narratives occupy such a significant place in Ukrainian reality.

Are grants good? Of course, they are. These were funds from American taxpayers that entered Ukraine and stayed here. What could possibly be bad about that? Even if a grant was ineffective, even if the money was spent on organizing events, it was still money in Ukraine. When someone organizes a conference, many Ukrainian small and medium businesses receive orders. They earn money and then spend it in Ukraine. It is simply impossible to find anything negative in this. Not to mention that most grants were directed towards entirely different goals. The Ukrainian government received substantial funding. Ukrainian energy was revitalized, including through grants. And now there is a risk that this process may be affected by a halt in funding. Or does someone want to sit in the dark? Ukrainian businesses, from small firms in the Zhytomyr region to Nova Poshta, could obtain grant funding for implementing investment projects. And they did. The restoration of schools and hospitals was funded through grants.

How can anyone say it is good that this funding has stopped? Only if you live in a world where "grant-eaters" are considered something negative. And that is a world of Russian propaganda. Congratulations, if you think that way, you are fully engulfed in Russian propaganda. You are living by the values imposed on you by Russian propaganda. And it wasn't done casually. It is because of the war. And you live in a world created for you by an enemy that wishes to kill you.

And one of the architects of this world was Kryukova. My only complaint about the sanctions against Kryukova is: why so late? And why so little? Why isn’t she in prison? This person has spread Russian propaganda for years. Strana.ua essentially prepared the ground for the occupation of Ukraine. They were supposed to prepare part of society for this. They are as guilty as the Russian generals for the shootings in Bucha, for the genocide in Mariupol, for the thousands of children kidnapped by Russians. They continue to work now, spreading Russian disinformation. Which is eagerly picked up by Ukrainians who somehow believe that Trump's plan will be published first either in Ukrainian or in Russian on some Telegram channel. Well, why not, it makes sense.

How can one defend Kryukova? And many people who consider themselves patriots are doing this? Is it like, nothing personal, just business? Here Kryukova works for the Russians and does so effectively, but when she leaves the office – she’s already a Ukrainian patriot? It would be acceptable if the same people who previously worked for Murayev were defending Kryukova. They have a guild solidarity. They defend Kryukova, defend Dubinsky, defend this Dioritsa. Well, fine, if it were Korban. That’s personal. Although it is also hard to comprehend how he separated this in his mind, building active resistance against the Russians and then having personal feelings for a Russian agent. But there are many others. People who seemingly didn’t notice what Kryukova was saying. What her publication was stating. What they had been doing for years. And yet these public figures use the rhetoric of Russian propaganda, calling the government in Ukraine a regime during wartime?

Of course, the government is also to blame. Certainly, when you don’t shut down Telegram channels and think you can control them, you suddenly find yourself in a world built on Russian narratives. But the government is what it is. It cannot be changed until the elections. And there will be no elections while the war is ongoing. Therefore, the question lies more with society. Which must demonstrate its maturity. And, first and foremost, not be useful idiots in the hands of the enemy. And Russians certainly know how to do that. Lie. Spread propaganda. Covertly recruit into their ranks. And suddenly you are both a patriot of Ukraine and speaking the lexicon of the Russian first channel. It is frustrating. It is unsafe. And it is disgusting.