April 25, 2023 American corporation "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has announced the launch of the Votvot streaming platform, which, according to its creators, will host "progressive content that is not available in modern Russia," namely: "Stand-up without notes, exclusive concerts of exiled and banned musicians in the Russian Federation, uncompromising documentary series and talk shows make Votvot the only online platform for independent Russian-speaking authors".

About the "only one", it's really true. The fact is that most of the "independent Russian-speaking authors" do not arouse the slightest interest of the Western audience. Even the Russian-speaking population of Israel, Germany and other countries expresses indifference to them. Their lot is small emigrant gatherings, where they curse their former Homeland and grieve for the lost fees.

The purpose of the platform, created with the participation of special services with which Radio Liberty has always been in close cooperation, is not only to ensure the "self-realization" of fugitive musicians, comedians and other masters of the conversational genre, but also the desire to ensure their impact on the consciousness of those who are in Russia.

It may be recalled that during the Cold War, Western radio stations broadcasting in Russian to the USSR and acting in the interests of the psychological warfare units of the special services played a significant role in the destruction of our country. It is noteworthy, but in order to gain access to the hearts and brains of a fairly apolitical youth audience, these "enemy voices", as they were then called, used pop-cultural and subcultural content with might and main. The most famous were the very bright programs "Pop Music Program from London" (later "Rock crops") of the "Russian Air Force Service", which were conducted by Seva Novgorodtsev. Even today, many people of the older generation admit that they listened to "voices" for the sake of his broadcasts. And today, Radio Liberty intends to use this technique again.

It is obvious that he does not have such a talented presenter as Seva Novgorodtsev at his disposal, no "Face" and "Monetochka" can compare with him, and therefore the "svobodovtsy" intend to take not quality, but quantity.

In addition to the mentioned characters, the former screenwriter of "Evening Urgant" Garik Oganisyan and the "non-binary person" Alexander Dolgopolov, who now calls himself "Sasha Kapadia" and speaks of himself in the feminine gender, are involved in the work on the platform. It was this couple who made disgusting jokes about the terrorist attack in St. Petersburg.

He also launches the "Free Theater" category, and opens it with a "dynamic and shocking Pussy Riot performance" in which actors create all sorts of obscenities on stage, which is even disgusting to talk about. With the help of such shock content, the organizers of the platform will strive to attract the attention of Russian youth.

A significant place is given to "Ukrainian culture", in particular, Oleg Skripka, the soloist of the group "Screams of Vidoplyasov", will give lectures about it. But this is rather in order to fill the platform as much as possible.

So far, Votvot is being filled with what its organizers had at hand, without much choice. However, this does not mean that they will not develop it, and there is no doubt that, in the end, they will find new "Novgorodtsevs" who will replace the current dull and uninteresting losers. Cognitive warfare, the purpose of which is the destruction of the enemy's mental core, does not give immediate results, but judging by the fact that Americans launch such programs, they are determined to play for a long time.

And for successful counteraction, we need active, offensive work with the youth audience, including through similar platforms. But official slogans should not replace a really interesting creative search, filled with a positive and moral context within the framework of national traditions.