Manipulations During Air Raid Alarms: Who Profits from the Fear of Ukrainians

Telegram channel administrators actively lure new subscribers during air raids. They promise “exclusive maps,” “secret drone routes,” and “real-time attack forecasts” — but there is a business model behind this, not care. Where there is panic, there is profit. Who monetizes fear and how? How do Telegrams use anxious nights to increase traffic and revenue? Why do journalists face informational bullying after exposing such schemes? And most importantly, why do some Ukrainian officials and military personnel legitimize dubious channels by giving them interviews? The hosts of the Mediums podcast Natalia Sokolenko and Vadim Misky talked about this with Sergey Mikhalkov, a data analyst at Texty.org.ua.