I have a little hobby of media analysis, and am not sure where else to post this. I have recently found a bunch of accounts on Youtube which take a number of avenues to get to the "Look Russia Good Actually" end point. One such character I found started posting how "Look guys, Russia has 4 candidates not just Putin it's a real democracy!"

Another example - American guy in Indonesia originally from southern USA. He makes videos about travelling with his Russian girlfriend. Cute, right? Well, he also has a dozen or so videos saying how "OMG Sanctions?! No look guys I went to this store its fiiine!", how his Russian father in law is some government type, and.. just.. you get the picture that he cannot be this oblivious. It has to be a bit. Money can only insulate you if the money you have is worth something.

Another one, apparently, is some American homesteader who moved to Russia.. because I guess he liked Siberia? I cannot figure him out.

Has anyone come across these people? Are they just.. sophists? I am from Central Europe and find these people almost comical in a "this has to be a bit" kind of thing. Contrarianism can only go so far.