Page 50 - bne IntelliNews monthly magazine December 2024

50 I Eastern Europe bne December 2024
Russian teachers fooled into donning tinfoil hats to fight Nato
bne IntelliNews
Teachers from Russia's Voronezh Oblast have gone viral after being misled by Belarusian prankster Vladislav Bokhan into crafting tinfoil hats as part of what they believed was a patriotic defence exercise.
Bokhan, posing as an official of the ruling United Russia party, sent detailed hat-making instructions to teachers under the guise of the “Helmet of the Fatherland” workshop, claiming the tinfoil headwear would protect against Nato satellite interference and electronic warfare. Adding to the ruse’s credibility, he used AI to create documents that mimicked official Russian bureaucracy, complete with fabricated warnings about potential consequences for non-compliance.
Many teachers in the region took the instructions seriously, with some even involving students in the exercise. Images and videos released by Bokhan on social media showed educators wearing the hats, with some describing the project as a patriotic gesture. One teacher reportedly sought a certificate of participation, while another lauded it as a way to “instil unity and national pride in the face of external threats.”
In response, the Voronezh Education Ministry issued a statement acknowledging the teachers’ “patriotic spirit” while also highlighting their gullibility. Officials urged educators to be cautious about unverified directives.
“Teachers have already been reminded of the rules of information security,” the statement said.
This is not Bokhan's first success with pranks targeting Russian educational institutions. In 2022, he persuaded a school in Moscow’s Klin district to adopt a slogan resembling Nazi propaganda, substituting the Cyrillic “B” with the Roman “V.” In 2023, he convinced school leaders in Arkhangelsk to post posters proclaiming him a “United Russia hero.”
Many teachers in the region took the instructions seriously, with some even involving students in the exercise. / Vladislav Bokhan
manufacturers, with the aim of strengthening the national economy.
“In 2023, nearly 300 civilian infra- structure facilities had been damaged by shelling in Odesa. Despite this, the economy of Odesa Oblast is striving to survive and adapt,” said a UNDP press release issued on the Odesa office’s launch.
“Amid complex logistics related to raw materials and product distribution, as well as power supply limitations due to hostilities, 99,400 small and medium enterprises are continuing to operate in the region, over 5,000 of which started their activities in 2023.”
Ultimately, there are plans to open similar offices in employment services across the country. “The key objective is to create opportunities for businesses inside the country and for those who relocated to other countries to come back and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery,” said Gutsman.
Made in Ukraine offices, equipped with consultation spaces, allow entrepreneurs to access government grant information, regional or city programmes to support micro and small entrepreneurs, business registration assistance, tax support and other services. Entrepreneurs can also participate in a cashback scheme for goods made in Ukraine.
“We launched this office in May and so far more than 500 entrepreneurs have applied here for services,” said Koreniev. Those include companies in sectors from transport to garment manufac- turing to agricultural processing. “It’s important that applicants can receive face to face help with all government programmes here in this modern office,” he added.
Both Gutsman and Koreniev acknowledge that Ukraine’s small businesses face a daunting road ahead, especially when it comes to finding the right people. Yet, through the efforts of agencies like the SEC and UNDP, and the Made in Ukraine programme, there is a growing network of support designed to help them rebuild.
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