Aleksandr Makashenets on the war

• In September 2022, he described the successful counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kharkiv Oblast as «the liberation of territories.»
• He covered war crimes committed by the Russian military, strikes against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, and heavy casualties among Russian armed forces personnel.
• He supported Ukrainian cyberattacks on Russian governmental online portals (such as Gosuslugi) and referred to Russians carrying out anti-war sabotage inside the Russian Federation as «partisans.»
• He urged Russian citizens to disrupt militaristic propaganda sessions in Russian schools.
• In October 2022, during a broadcast on «Popular Politics», Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Honcharenko urged Russians to donate funds to purchase artillery systems for the AFU. Following Honcharenko's remarks, Makashenets noted that for Russians, donating to the AFU via cryptocurrency is much safer.
• On December 7, 2022, in the video «Putin in Hiding: How the President Dodges Problems», the journalist sharply criticized Putin and emphasized how detached Kremlin propaganda is from reality:

Since the beginning of the war, the Kremlin has created two Russias for Russian citizens: one is virtual, governed by a wise leader and efficient manager named Putin; the other—warring and impoverished—exists entirely on its own. In this way, Vladimir Putin hides ‘in his bunker’ whenever another bridge explodes, mobilized troops rebel, or his army retreats.

Exposing Recruitment for the «Akhmat» Regiment

On July 15, 2022, during a live broadcast of «Popular Politics», Makashenets called the hotline for volunteer recruitment into the «Akhmat» unit, which had been advertised on the state television channel Rossiya-1. During the call, the host demonstrated to viewers the sheer cynicism and flippancy with which Russian military structures recruit citizens for war without adequate training or background checks.

«Foreign Agent» Designation and Criminal Wanted List

Due to his anti-war journalism and relentless criticism of the Russian government, Makashenets has been subjected to state repression:

• On February 3, 2023, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation designated him a «foreign agent.»
• On June 13, 2024, it was revealed that the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs initiated a criminal case against him and placed Aleksandr on the federal wanted list.

Interview with Yury Dud (2026)

In March 2026, Makashenets gave an interview to Yury Dud, reaffirming his resolute anti-war position. He sharply condemned Russian celebrities endorsing the war, declared public figures' silence unacceptable, and stressed that Vladimir Putin continues killing peaceful civilians without altering his underlying strategy:

Azamat, Dorokhov, Andrey Malakhov—these are individuals with massive platforms... They are propagandizing murder and war. I have nothing good to say to them or wish them... It particularly infuriates me when comedians constantly retreat into: ‘Oh, let's not talk about politics’... The fact that we completely ignore politics is an unhealthy state of affairs.

He (Putin, - Ed.) hasn't even altered his strategy for conducting the war: just as he killed people by launching barrage after barrage of missiles, he continues doing exactly that.

I believe that Michael Nacke (anti-war journalist) is helping people who are defending themselves against aggression, and that is enough. That already makes us 80–90% compatible people.

Today, Aleksandr Makashenets continues to maintain a consistent anti-war stance, opposes Russian aggression, actively supports Ukraine, and regularly exposes and criticizes the Russian authorities.