A propaganda video allegedly shot by Gazprom saying that an unbearably cold winter awaits Europe without Russian gas has been circulating on Russian Telegram channels, including those belonging to media outlets and government officials. The video shows images of Krasnoyarsk in winter, a city with a population of over a million, still without centralized gas supply, the local media report.
The video was shared by the vice-governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai Sergey Ponomarenko. He left a comment underneath the post: “Well, you got it 😉”. It was reposted by patriotic groups and even media outlets, with the message: “Master class in trolling the European Union by Gazprom”. At the same time the video hasn’t been posted on Gazprom’s official website or social media accounts.
Krasnoyarsk online chats say the video is “a mockery of the city residents”. NGS24 reminds that the main gas pipeline in Krasnoyarsk is promised to be built only in 2025-2027. Last year, Governor Alexander Uss said he was waiting for a decision on the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, then gasification “could reach two-thirds of the region’s population.”
Gazprom did not respond to The Insider's request for commenting on whether the company actually made the video, and said it needed a written request. The Insider's sources in the Russian pro-government media claim the video was most likely commissioned by Vladimir Kiriyenko, the son of the deputy head of the presidential administration and VK’s CEO. For example, the video below (commemorating the Russian Flag Day), very similar in style, was made at his request for social media.