Nikolay Sobolev on the war

Nikolay Sobolev's Stance on the War in Ukraine

Following February 24, 2022, Nikolay Sobolev came out against the war, declaring:

This is not a nightmare end. This is a nightmare without end. I don't know what to say. I am terrified for the people. No to war!

From the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the blogger produced videos on political topics in which he maintained moderate views. His statements aligned neither with the liberal-opposition agenda nor with the talking points of official Russian propaganda.

In late September 2022, Sobolev left Russia due to the risk of being mobilized. Later, Nikolay denied rumors of changing his permanent residence, confirmed he was abroad, and insisted that it was a short-term trip. On October 11, Sobolev returned to Saint Petersburg.

On February 3, 2023, he was designated a "foreign agent" by the Ministry of Justice of Russia. The ministry justified this by claiming that the blogger "spoke out against the citizens" of Russia and the "special military operation," "advocated in support of an unfriendly country — Ukraine," and "distributed materials created by foreign agents to an unlimited audience."

In February 2024, Nikolay "flipped his stance" and in an interview with Madonna Moore spoke of his patriotism and support for Russia in the war:

Vladimir Solovyov, Margarita Simonyan — they sometimes say the right things... I am a patriot of Russia. I wish victory for Russia. I wish all the best to the Russian people. I will not leave Russia for anywhere, because I love this country

On March 15, 2024, he was delisted from the foreign agent registry «due to the loss of characteristics of a foreign agent».

In April 2024, on the program «Povestochka», he stated:

[Russia's actions are] an attempt to secure the perimeter, an attempt to protect people. Ukrainian nationalism began to spread... and then even turned toward our ideological opponents

On the podcast «Dnevnik Khacha», Sobolev said that if he decides to enter politics, he will accept an invitation to join the ruling party. In his view, «United Russia» is the «most serious party».

Currently, Nikolay Sobolev is actively working on behalf of Russian propaganda. In his public statements, he endorses narratives justifying Russia's aggressive actions, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine. His content frequently coincides with the official position of the Russian authorities and disseminates messages aimed at discrediting Ukraine and the West.