FSB uses staged videos to intimidate citizens, report says

A study by the Russian human rights project ‘Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial’ reveals that the Federal Security Service (FSB) has significantly increased its production of short propaganda videos related to politically motivated criminal cases since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

Researchers analyzed 70 randomly selected criminal cases and found that nearly all included video footage produced by the FSB. These clips, often under two minutes long, typically feature operational footage, arrests, searches, and confessions. The study notes that approximately one-quarter of the arrest scenes showed signs of being staged.

According to the report, mentions of the FSB in state news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti have increased two to three times. The frequency of news stories accompanied by video materials has also risen significantly. Analysts suggest these videos serve a dual purpose: to intimidate the public and political opponents by creating an atmosphere of total control, and to demonstrate the efficiency of the security services to high-ranking government officials.