Anonymous, global, determined: Exclusive interview with the online fighters of Exilenova+

Note: This interview is based on correspondence between the journalist and a member of the Ukrainian Telegram channel, Exilenova+. For the safety of the members of the group, we have agreed on full anonymity. For the sake of readability, we have chosen to use the pronoun “she”.

The Greek tragedian Aeschylus said: “The first casualty of war is the truth.”

And Sun Tzu wrote: “All war is deception.”

Both of those quotes date back millennia, but that does not make them any less true in modern warfare — and the war in Ukraine is a grim reminder of that.

Ever since the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the battle for the narrative of what is actually happening has been raging. The Ukrainian leadership says one thing, which is immediately denied by the Russians.

But with satellites flying high above us and a camera in every pocket, the fight for the truth has gained a new frontline. A digital one.

And this is where we meet:

Exilenova+.

Fighting Russian propaganda

The internet has made it possible to meet, talk to, and share interests with like-minded people all over the world — and this is exactly how Exilenova+ was born.

The member from Exilenova+ explains that the group originally met on the messaging platform Telegram through shared interests.

However, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the shared interests were replaced by a common motivation:

To provide any possible support for the Ukrainian army.

“From collecting donations for brigades in need of help to identifying objects potentially suitable for strikes,” the member explains.

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Not only a source for the media

In the age of AI and the rise of manipulated footage, I wouldn’t be doing my job as a journalist, if I didn’t ask how the group fact checks its information.

But the methodology of Exilenova+ is not something to be shared with anyone else.

“However, all our information is based on sources located in Russia, and we almost always guarantee the reliability of the information, as we are a source not only for the media, but also for a number of Ukrainian units and services, so we are aware of the responsibility placed on us,” the member explains.

Unknown allies bound by a common goal

As mentioned in the beginning of this article, I do not know who I have actually been talking too.

But through my correspondence with the member of Exilenova+, it became clear to me that this was not because I was an outsider.

“Our team is multinational and scattered across the globe. We remain incognito even to all of us within the group to ensure our safety in the face of possible unnecessary interest in us,” the member says.

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Some information is off limits – at least to the public

After spending hours scrolling through the channels of Exilenova+, a pattern begins to emerge.

There are numerous videos and photos of huge fires on Russian territory, as well as satellite imagery showing before-and-after Ukrainian strikes.

But you will not find any footage from Ukraine. And this is no coincidence.

“We never review our targets that are being struck by the aggressor, as this is essentially providing intelligence to the enemy. Many Ukrainian channels do this, and we personally characterize this as working for the enemy,” the member of Exilenova+ explains.

She explains that many Ukrainian channels do this, but in the eyes of the Exilenova+ members, that is the same as working for the enemy.

That being said, Exilenova+ is not a lonely island in the fight against Russian propaganda.

“We interact with a number of Telegram channels that are similar to us in spirit and maintain close cooperation. For us, this is a mutually beneficial partnership and an opportunity to make our work more effective,” the member says.

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When the Russians came

While fighting on the digital front of the war against Russian propaganda means you can basically do it anywhere in the world, the human suffering caused by the war is far too real to be forgotten.

And some members of Exilenova+ have been much closer to the physical frontline than any of us will ever come.

“Some of our team members on Telegram were forced to leave their homes due to the Russians,” the member says.

The key to victory

On February 24, 2026, the war in Ukraine has been raging for four years.

The suffering continues, and no one would blame anyone for not being able to keep up the fighting spirit.

But this is not going to happen to Exilenova+. Because even though they may not be on the physical frontline, they know how important their work is and that it can make a significant difference for the defenders on the ground.

With the ongoing push for a diplomatic solution to the war, Russia is promoting the narrative that a Russian victory is inevitable. Analysts suggest that this is an attempt at stalling or even cutting off continued Western support for Ukraine.

But as long as Exilenova+ exists, that narrative will never become the truth.

“Modern war is not only about the frontline; it is about the battlefield in the information and media sector,” the member says.

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation