Ekaterina Mizulina argued with students about censorship and duty to the homeland

The head of the Safe Internet League (SLI), Ekaterina Mizulina, spoke to students of the Ural Federal University in Yekaterinburg on Tuesday. The discussion was about the information war between the West and Russia, in connection with which Ms. Mizulina called on the meeting participants to limit publications on social networks so as not to attract the attention of enemy intelligence services. Further discussion, according to the head of the LBI, showed that there is no censorship in Russia and everyone can openly express their views – which did not stop her from reminding those gathered about the responsibility for discrediting the RF Armed Forces.

There were not enough seats in the hall for all the Ural students who came to meet with Ekaterina Mizulina – some of the spectators had to stand. Representatives of young people interviewed by a Kommersant correspondent explained that Ms. Mizulina is a “meme” and an influential person on the Internet, which is what aroused interest. The audience greeted the appearance of the head of LBI with a standing ovation. Mrs. Mizulina began with assurances that for her “there are no closed or taboo topics,” and asked whether the university management had expelled the students? The students shouted that they had come themselves and applauded again. Then Ms. Mizulina moved on to the topic of the information war that Western countries are waging against Russia. “Thousands of IT specialists, psychologists, screenwriters, and directors are creating content and coming up with new stories as part of the information war,” she warned. Among the tools of war are fraudulent links, with the help of which the enemy robs users and transfers the stolen goods “to support the armed forces of Ukraine.” Ekaterina Mizulina called on students to limit their own publications on social networks so as not to give enemy intelligence agencies a reason to involve them in committing sabotage through blackmail: “The videos go to provocateurs who are not on Russian territory. They come to young people with threats and force them to commit acts of sabotage on the railway and set fire to military registration and enlistment offices.”

Stressing that it will be the students who will have to correct the world’s understanding of Russia and “tell the truth about how we really live,” the head of the Safe Internet League invited viewers to ask questions. One of the first was student Ivan, who boldly asked how long Ms. Mizulina would be engaged in activities “violating human rights and systematically suppressing freedom of speech.” This, the student recalled, was the reason for the imposition of EU sanctions on her in January. The European Commission did not appreciate her fight against “pedophiles, drug sellers, flayers and trash streamers,” Ms. Mizulina objected, for some reason adding to this list her appeals to the leadership of a number of regions about helping students in resolving issues of heating in dormitories and increasing scholarships. The student continued to complain that, due to the blocking, he could not listen to the song “This Will Pass” by the rock group “Pornofilmy” (lead singer Vladimir Kotlyarov is included in the register of foreign agents), and blamed the head of LBI for using the institution of the army to “intimidate” TikToker Danya Milokhin (in the fall of 2023, 22-year-old Daniil Milokhin left Russia after Ekaterina Mizulina publicly appealed to him to be called up for military service).

Ms. Mizulina denied her involvement in blocking the mentioned song. She commented on the situation with TikTokers, touching on the topic of social injustice, which, in her opinion, arises when some are called up as part of partial mobilization, while others “have exceptions.” In the case of Daniil Milokhin, however, it could have been more about conscription for military service – and there he could, according to Mrs. Mizulina, “remove tik-toks and tell the whole country how military service is going”: “They would send him to serve in library. Do you think someone like Danya Milokhin would be sent to a tank company? Hardly. I would have served and given my debt to the Motherland.”

Here student Ivan stated that “he did not borrow anything in order to repay the debt.” Hoots and timid applause were heard in the hall. But another student, who did not introduce himself to the public, stood up for Ms. Mizulina. He edifyingly told Ivan that “a year in the army is insignificant in comparison with what the state does (for citizens)”: “What does “I didn’t borrow anything from the Motherland” mean? The state protects your traditions, interests, rights, and for this you only have to fulfill your obligations.” There was applause.

Ivan was determined to talk about rights, not responsibilities, and to ensure rights, in his opinion, “service in the army is completely unnecessary.” The conscripts, in his words, “turned out to be completely useless”: it was understood, apparently, that citizens, as a rule, with experience of military service, were sent instead to the Northern Military District zone. As for free education, the student explained that in Russia it is obtained through taxes that citizens have been paying for generations – and they, in turn, would like to count on guaranteed protection of their rights.

After this, quite naturally, they started talking about freedom of speech: “Don’t you see freedom of speech here, in the Urals and Yekaterinburg? – asked Ekaterina Mizulina. “Are you kidding me?” I see how your media work – they are not limited by anything at all.” She emphasized that student Ivan can openly express his views, which indicates the absence of censorship in the country. However, after that she threatened him: “The young man who allowed himself to insult conscript soldiers in our audience would better apologize for this now before he is held accountable for discrediting our army.” “I sincerely apologize to the conscript soldiers and deny the fact that they need to be retrained in order for them to take part in the Northern Military District,” the young man she mentioned readily answered.

After this, the student who stood up for Mrs. Mizulina invited the head of the LBI to marry him. After thanking her, she refused. This, however, was not the only declaration of feelings: many young people invited the guest on a date and gave flowers. The head of the LBI accepted the gifts through an assistant, recalling the terrorist attack that cost the life of military correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky. Precautions did not prevent approximately half of the participants from blocking the stage after the meeting ended: they all wanted to take a photo with the head of the LBI, and Ms. Mizulina promised to take a photo with everyone.

Vasily Alekseev, Ekaterinburg