The news media are filled with reports of Ukraine’s drone and missile strikes on Crimea — the Ukrainian peninsula forcefully and illegally occupied and governed by Russia since its 2014 invasion — and the resultant fuel shortages, power blackouts, and cancellations of normal activities being suffered by the residents and summer vacationers in the Black Sea paradise.

Just this week, Ukraine’s drone forces attacked the main power substation in Sevastopol, Crimea’s largest city, seven times. Electricity restrictions are continuing because repair work to the power grid has been delayed by the frequent air raid alerts.

Yet, as I reported on June 18th, Canadian natives Arend and Anneesa Feenstra left their farm in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, to spend a week in that very war zone . . . with no explanation other than a mention of being accompanied by some unnamed “friends” on unspecified farming matters. Uncharacteristically, their return to the farm brought no further information about the trip — just an apology for the delay due to some technical difficulties with the videos.

And what have we seen from the Feenstras on YouTube since then? Just this:

> A video of the family in Moscow, receiving yet another award for their family values and their service in helping to build bridges with their adopted country. How nice.

> That was followed a few days later by another, very brief, video — recorded by Arend while driving — concerning the frustrations of trying to do business in a strange country whose language you have not yet mastered, and where things don’t always work as they should . . . but with assurances that everything will be fine because it is all part of God’s plan for their family.

> And on Thursday, there was a demonstration of their new feed grinder, and a discussion of why well-ground grain is more nutritionally beneficial to cows, pigs and chickens.

But nothing — not another word — about the trip to Crimea.

It’s well known that Vladimir Putin is feeling enormous pressure from his own people in the wake of Ukraine’s recent military successes, with drone and missile attacks even reaching strategic locations in Moscow and St. Petersburg. And the issue of Crimea — whether it rightfully belongs to Russia or Ukraine — is of particular importance to him and his revisionist version of history.

But what, if anything, do the Feenstras have to do with all of this? Why did they suddenly leave the safety of their farm for a trip to a region under attack? Why haven’t we seen the usual videos of the family touring yet another new part of the world?

And why do they keep receiving special awards?

Once again, I am left with a lot of unanswered questions, and a growing concern for the futures of those eight beautiful children. Because what we are seeing and hearing — and more significantly, what we are not seeing and hearing — is telling me that they have become propaganda tools of the Putin regime, and that their future security and success depend upon their continued compliance.

And I do not believe for one moment that that is what they originally signed up for.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
6/27/26