09:00, 24.12.20 Ukraine 622
The first elves appeared in Lithuania in 2014, when local activists decided to unite to give an organized rebuff to Russian information attacks against Lithuania, Ukraine, and other democracies.
REUTERS
A civic network that will fight pro-Kremlin disinformation has been formed in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center.
Similar networks already operate in other European countries, where they coordinate efforts to push back against Russian disinformation and influence operations, Euromaidan Press reports.
The network of activists, who have chosen a fantasy name to oppose Russian trolls, has long existed in the Baltic countries, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
Translated by: Christine Chraibi
When the Maidan began gathering in December 2013, no one could predict where it was going or what would happen. But, it is entirely correct to say that volunteers made a lasting contribution and helped the Revolution of Dignity come true. The Maidan would still have gathered people together, but it is unlikely it could have survived without the support of a widespread volunteer movement. Kyiv residents and Ukrainians from across the country provided a unique example of self-organization and self-sufficiency in order to achieve their goal –
to change Ukraine.
Every day on the Khreshchatyk in Kyiv, volunteers organized the stay of several thousand people on the Maidan – doctors, lawyers, psychologists, journalists and many others. In a matter of days, dozens of volunteer initiatives and different Internet projects arose in makeshift quarters. For example,