In February of last year, a video aired on a Russian state-controlled television channel.

The video... television channel.

The video is an interview with a dark-haired teenage boy.

His name is Dennis Kostev. Our colleague Matthew Luxmore saw the video.

He's shown in an indoor soccer hall playing soccer and then standing afterwards

draping himself in a Russian flag. He's asked what his plans are for the future.

And Dennis answers that his plan is to join a Russian military academy

because he wants to fight for the Russian army and serve the Russian Federation.

This is a Russian propaganda video, but it had a twist.

Kosev, the teenage boy, is Ukrainian.

And just months earlier, he was calling for Russia's defeat.

I don't know if I'm allowed to swear.

Give it a try.

He even had a sticker on his phone

say, you know, reading Putin as a dickhead which is quite a popular slogan in Ukraine

quite a transformation yeah it was an incredible transformation and his relatives were wondering what had happened to this patriotic kid. How did he suddenly start appearing in these Russian propaganda videos praising Putin Putin. Welcome to the journal, our show about money, business, and power.

I'm Kate Leimbaw.

It's Monday, March 4th.

Coming up on the show, how a Ukrainian teenager

became a Russian propaganda star. This episode is brought to you by Empower. If you're like most people you've had your fair share of financial questions.

Questions like, will you be able to afford a third kid?

Will you be able to do everything you want when you retire?

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