​ Become a Connector

Exchange and build bridges

If you have established contact with a person in Russia or want to send your very own first message to a Russian person with the translator deepl.com via the Callrussia.org platform, you have the chance to become a Connector and build bridges. This requires a little more time and your willingness to engage in a real conversation where your counterpart may not share your point of view at all.

Please read the entire text on this page for individual contact to Russia!

In Russia, the propaganda machine can now run unchecked at full speed behind an invisible wall of information and contact. Old enemy images are freshly painted and new ones are created. Europeans are also being turned into enemies in this narrative, which deliberately wants to isolate and harm the Russian population through sanctions. (Read more about the propaganda strategies here).

But not only Russian people have almost no possibilities to access independent press reports anymore. Since numerous journalists have had to withdraw from Russia and contacts between the institutions have been on ice since February 2022 due to the sanctions, Europeans are also out of the loop. We know too little about the mood among the Russian population, too little about the torn families. And we don't know how many people, after losing their jobs, have now received job offers for disinformation campaigns and daily ensure that the image of the approving Russian population is maintained in the social media. (More informations about survays you can get at the info-page)

It is almost impossible to convince people who have been made to believe for years that their president is a friendly pacifist with a few messages. Please don't make that your goal!

If you write a message to a Russian person, stay interested in your counterpart's opinion and don't lecture (warning: Westplaining alert), you have already done something against the dangerous narrative that people west of Russia are hostile to Russian people in general. Try to remain an anti-troll and stay level-headed. 

It is much more about accepting your counterpart with respect against the background of a life story that is completely different from yours and building bridges on which the common desire for peace comes into focus. When a conversation starts, you can always remind yourself of this goal and engage in consensus rather than historical discussions.

This is the only way to combat dangerous enemy images that cause war and keep wars going.

For individual contact with Russian people, please read the technical instructions on the "Become a writer" page.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING RISK!!!

While you bear no risk in direct, private exchanges, you can put people in Russia at risk. If you chat directly and frequently with someone from Russia, please make sure to inform them at the beginning of your conversation that private chats can also be read by Russian government officials. Telegram is considered the safest way to contact people. However, there have been reports that Russian activists have been put in danger by sharing information in private Telegram chats.