The voice of war on YouTube: why Ukrainians are looking for the truth in the channels of Gordon, Komarov and Zolkin
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians’ media consumption has undergone quite understandable changes. Entertainment, sports, music, and gastronomic content have faded into the background. Media users focused on military and war-related topics. In addition, the marathon initiated by the authorities gradually lost its position. Accordingly, the views and reach of YouTube channels of bloggers capable of meeting the information needs of the audience during the war have increased. Here is an infographic that shows how consumer media preferences have changed over the past year.
No longer the ‘interview genre eliminator’?
Dmitriy Gordon remains the leader of audience preferences, and not with one, but with two channels, which he uses to reach different segments of viewers, which, of course, overlap during certain broadcasts.
‘Gordon’s Place’ is the main channel, which features long interviews with celebrities, politicians, journalists, military experts, cultural figures, etc. It focuses on in-depth conversations about politics, social issues, the war in Ukraine and other important public issues. This channel is the most popular and has the largest audience. However, the media community is questioning Gordon’s professional affiliation with journalism. Not long ago, Andriy Kokotyukha called him ‘the liquidator of the interview genre,’ stressing that Gordon ‘has been systematically burying the interview as one of the most important genres of journalism in a deep dark grave for the past two decades.’ But the general public, who show their affection by watching and liking him, love Gordon’s shows.
The second channel, Dmytro Gordon, is an additional channel that offers more short and diverse content, including interview cuts, reactions to current events, operational commentary and analytics. It allows for flexibility in responding to current events and attracting a different audience that prefers shorter videos and more diverse content.
Having two channels allows Dmitry Gordon to expand his media space, attract a wider audience and adapt his content to different consumption formats.
From travel vlogs to war documentaries
Dmytro Komarov, known as the host of the World Inside Out programme, has also adapted his content to the realities of war since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. His YouTube channel, which had previously focused on travelling and discovering new cultures, began to focus more on the events in Ukraine, talking about the war, its impact on people and the destruction.
Komarov has focused on creating documentary stories that highlight the realities of wartime, including the stories of Ukrainian soldiers, volunteers and ordinary citizens who are living through these difficult times. He also gives the floor to experts and eyewitnesses to convey the situation in Ukraine to an international audience.
Harsh criticism of the authorities and interviews with captured Russians
Vladimir Zolkin has become known for his video interviews with captured Russian soldiers taken prisoner by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In these interviews, he allows the prisoners to express their opinions about their participation in the war, analyses their motives and reveals the influence of Russian propaganda. In particular, he shows that the Russian military often does not have a full understanding of the events in Ukraine. Zolkin also highlights the issues of humanitarian aid, support for war victims and the importance of international support for Ukraine in the war against the aggressor.
Zolkin’s content is highly specific and important for informing both Ukrainian and international audiences about the realities of the war and the impact of Russian aggression.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Sternenko’s YouTube channel has become one of the most visited media platforms in the Ukrainian information space, where, in addition to providing information, important collections are announced to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Sternenko, an activist, public figure and former head of the Odesa branch of the Right Sector, actively covers political and military events in Ukraine. His channel is known for analytics, investigations, direct appeals to the authorities and critical commentary on political processes.
Sternenko’s channel often features reviews of key events in the war, analysis of the actions of Ukrainian and Russian politicians, and exposure of propaganda. He also hosts active streams where he answers viewers’ questions, discusses the latest news and shares his own thoughts on Ukraine’s strategy in the war.
Sternenko is known for his harsh criticism of pro-Russian politicians and members of Ukraine’s old political elite, making his channel attractive to viewers seeking direct and uncompromising assessments. His videos are highly popular and often the subject of discussion on social media.
Arestovych remains a popular media personality
Aleksiy Arestovych, although he has gained a great deal of popularity as a military analyst and opinion leader since the start of the full-scale invasion, is often criticised. His calm and confident style of communication, which many found reassuring in the early months of the war, eventually began to elicit mixed reactions. Many critics pointed to his tendency to make overly optimistic predictions and sometimes overly confident statements about the course of the war, which, according to some observers, could mislead some of his audience about the real state of affairs at the front.
His statement about the tragic missile attack on a residential building in Dnipro in January 2023 was particularly resonant. Arestovych stated that the missile was shot down by Ukrainian air defence, which caused outrage among the public and criticism from the authorities. This statement caused a major scandal, and Arestovych later admitted that he was wrong.
This incident was the catalyst for his resignation from his position as an adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine, a position he had held since the beginning of the war. Arestovych himself announced his resignation, explaining that he wanted to avoid creating additional media tension around his statements. However, many perceived the move as forced by public pressure.
Critics of Arestovych also point to his tendency to make controversial statements and provocations, which has repeatedly led to public conflicts. Some journalists and experts accuse him of manipulation and of shaping his own image, not always taking into account the objectivity and consequences of his statements.
Despite the criticism, his media activity remains high, and he continues to be popular among a certain part of the audience, which appreciates his analytical skills and style of presentation. Thus, Arestovych’s rating as a YouTuber is growing.
Military issues instead of rumours
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ramina Eskhakzai has started to pay more attention to military issues on her channel ‘Rumours’. She invites the military, volunteers, civil society activists and others directly involved in the war in Ukraine. These interviews cover important topics such as the course of hostilities, the volunteer movement, humanitarian aid and the challenges faced by Ukraine in wartime. Thus, its content has become more socially relevant and reflects current events in the country. As a result, the number of subscribers has increased.
Alexey Durnev’s YouTube channel is known for its humorous content and ironic reviews. The most popular format is reactions to videos and photos from social media, where Durnev comments on various publications with sarcasm and jokes. Since the outbreak of the war, he has also actively incorporated military topics, producing content that supports the Ukrainian army and ridicules Russian propaganda. His channel remains popular due to his sharp humour and ability to comment on difficult topics with lightness and satire.
Oleksiy Honcharenko’s YouTube channel is a platform where the Ukrainian politician and member of parliament covers current political events, including those related to the war, Ukrainian and international politics. Goncharenko publishes analytical videos, comments on the situation in Ukraine, his speeches in the Verkhovna Rada and international platforms. In addition, he actively conducts interviews with politicians, experts and public figures. His content is targeted at a politically engaged audience that seeks to receive news and analysis from primary sources.
The truth of the war from the last Ukrainian correspondent to the Russian Foreign Ministry
Roman Tsymbalyuk’s YouTube channel focuses on covering Ukrainian politics, international relations and current affairs, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine. He was the last Ukrainian correspondent to be permanently accredited to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Currently, Tsymbalyuk uses his experience to analyse Russian propaganda and discuss the realities of life in Ukraine during the war. His videos include analytical commentary, interviews with experts and personal observations, making the content informative and relevant for viewers interested in geopolitical issues. Tsymbalyuk also actively interacts with the audience, which increases engagement and discussion on his channel.
Yanina Sokolova’s YouTube channel is known for its focus on socio-political topics relevant to Ukraine. Yanina conducts interviews with politicians, experts and representatives of civil society, discussing important issues related to the war, reforms and social problems. Her content is distinguished by in-depth analysis and emotional frankness, which makes it attractive to viewers. In particular, her broadcast with Iryna Farion resonated, as the linguist’s harsh remarks about Ukrainian soldiers caused a wave of kenselling and eventually led to Farion’s dismissal from Lviv Polytechnic University. Meanwhile, Sokolova actively supports the Ukrainian army and the volunteer movement, which adds to the significance of her channel in wartime.
Reports from the hot spots
Yuriy Butusov’s YouTube channel focuses on covering military events in Ukraine, analysing and discussing important aspects of the country’s defence. As a journalist and military expert, Butusov conducts interviews with the military, volunteers and other experts, providing information about the realities of the frontline and the strategic situation in the country.
The most valuable component of the channel for the audience is the reports from the hot spots, where Butusov directly interacts with the military to bring important news and events to the audience. The channel is popular due to the accuracy and timeliness of its reports. Butusov also actively analyses the actions of Russian troops, revealing their strategy and tactics.
Today, YouTube has become not just an entertainment platform for Ukrainians, but a real information front, where each viewer chooses his or her own ‘media allies’ – bloggers, journalists and experts, each offering their own vision of events. In a time of war, these channels become an integral part of daily media consumption, satisfying the need for objective information and keeping the audience connected to reality.
