- Russia's youth are finding ways to break through Moscow's internet blockade, said a Russian journalist.
- Ekaterina Kotrikadze said the country's "new generation" is "more sophisticated" technologically than Putin's regime.
- She told CNN that many Russians access independent journalism through YouTube, which isn't blocked.
Despite the Kremlin's grip on information in Russia, one Russian journalist said the country's youth still have ways to access banned social media networks and websites — and are "one step ahead" of a regime trying to control the narrative of the war in Ukraine.
"It is really important to understand that new generation in Russian Federation is more sophisticated than Vladimir Putin and his team, technologically," said Ekaterina Kotrikadze, news director and anchor for independent Russian news outlet TV Rain, in a Sunday interview with CNN.
"They know how to be one step ahead of the regime, so that's why they are still getting information," Kotrikadze said.
Kotrikadze said several independent journalists streaming on YouTube — one of the only platforms not blocked by Russia — still receive a mostly Russian audience.
"You know, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram — these social media networks are actually banned in Russia, but still people use VPN," Kotrkiadze said.
She highlighted the story of a father who initially supported Putin but turned on the Russian president after losing his son in the sinking of the Russian warship "Moskva."
"Right now, we are all witnessing the process of waking up of this person, and he suddenly understood what was going on," Kotrkiadze said. "And he's posting on social media what his feelings are, and he's talking with other relatives and fathers and mothers of Russian sailors who also died on this flagship. And Moscow is not actually saying a word about these victims."
The Kremlin has admitted that one sailor died in the Moskva's sinking and that 27 others are missing. The ship was struck by Ukrainian missiles on April 14.
Kotrkiadze added that state media continue to portray a Russian army that is liberating territories in Ukraine from Nazi control. "They do not show the destroyed cities, the destroyed towns," she said.
"They want 100 million people in Russia to trust these fake, fake statements with the: 'Thank you so much for coming and liberating and setting us free from this Nazi regime.' This is getting more and more fake, this getting more and more ridiculous," Kotrkiadze said.