Popular pro-war outlet effectively acknowledges Russian responsibility for the Kyiv monastery strike — while defending it and ridiculing fellow Z-bloggers for rejecting such attacks

Rybar, a prominent Telegram channel linked to Russia’s Defense Ministry, has indirectly confirmed Russian forces' involvement in the attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, an important Orthodox monastery in Ukraine. Despite this acknowledgment, the channel defends the strike and criticizes other pro-war commentators for opposing such attacks, labeling their views as inconsistent. This admission and subsequent defense highlight the complex dynamics within pro-war circles, where even acknowledged war crimes are rationalized or dismissed. It underscores the broader narrative control efforts by state-aligned media.