Graham Phillips (blogger)

Graham William Phillips is a British former YouTuber, freelance journalist, and documentary filmmaker. He formerly worked as a stringer for the Russian state-owned television networks RT (2013–2014) and Zvezda (2014–2015), and from early 2015 on, for his YouTube channel. From March 2022, Phillips has covered the Russian invasion of Ukraine, initially from the Chernihiv area of Ukraine, then from Mariupol, then from Donetsk, and then onto the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR / LNR).

Phillips has been accused of being pro-Russian, and lending 'faux legitimacy' to Kremlin propaganda and Russian conspiracy theories with his 'middle-class English accent'. Phillips himself maintains his reporting is 'independent journalism'. Phillips has been awarded several medals for his work from the separatist republics of Donbas, and organizations in Russia.

In April 2022, Phillips was accused by UK MP Robert Jenrick of committing a war crime after interviewing captured British-born Ukrainian soldier Aiden Aslin. Phillips has, for his part, stated that Aslin himself 'requested the interview'. In July 2022, the government of the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on him, saying that his work "supports and promotes actions and policies which destabilize Ukraine and undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty, or independence of Ukraine.” Phillips became the first British citizen to be added to the sanctions list, although he has continued to state that he is "reporting the truth" about the war in Ukraine.

Biography

Early years

Phillips' place of birth has been listed as either Nottingham, in England, or Dundee in Scotland. He attended Perth High School, and later graduated from the University of Dundee with a dual degree in philosophy and history in the early 2000s. During his student years, Phillips had started to do some freelance journalism, 'faxing articles into ''The Scotsman''. He also tried his hand at stand-up comedy at this time, performing alongside Miles Jupp, and Frankie Boyle. While at university, Phillips led the campaign to have Baywatch actor David Hasselhoff installed as rector.

After university, he moved to London where he worked a number of years for the now-defunct Central Office of Information, as a clerk, reviewing government websites and preparing reports for the Parliament of the United Kingdom, later speaking of his frustration at the mundanity of this work.

In Ukraine (2010–2016)

Phillips first visited Ukraine in 2009 when he travelled to Dnipropetrovsk for an England match. He then moved to Ukraine in 2010, looking for the chance to 'reboot' his life, and do journalistic work. He was 30, and initially began working in Kiev as an English teacher. At this time, Phillips started a blog, ''Brit in Ukraine'', with articles on politics, history, life in Ukraine, UEFA Euro 2012 and sex tourism, including entries about prostitutes, call girls, foreign-bride hunters and sex tourists. The blog was renamed to ''Graham W Phillips'' and later deleted.

In 2012, Phillips started work in Kyiv as a journalist for '' What's On'' magazine. After leaving ''What's On'', Phillips worked as a freelance journalist from Ukraine, publishing several articles, including two for the ''New Statesman'', three for the ''Kyiv Post'' and three for ''Pravda'', among others. In November 2012, Phillips' article for ''Pravda'' opined about the gloomy atmosphere in Ukraine after the highs of Euro 2012, and worries for the future.

Phillips's work as a freelance journalist in Ukraine often focused on crime, as he covered the murder of Oksana Makar, a Ukrainian woman raped and burned alive, and Barry Pring, a British man killed outside Kyiv. In early 2013, Phillips self-published a book, ''Ukraine – Men, Women, Sex, Murder'', which culminated with his investigation into the death of Barry Pring. The book was removed from sale after legal action by Anna Ziuzina, the woman he accused of Pring's murder.

For his blog in 2012 and 2013, Phillips wrote a series of articles critical of Ukrainian nationalist politician Stepan Bandera and the Ukrainian nationalist party Svoboda, referring to Bandera as a "Nazi", and Svoboda as "neo-Nazis". Phillips was opposed to Euromaidan from the start, in November 2013, and began doing interviews with Russian state channel RT at this time. At this time, Phillips was also doing street interviews across Ukraine, for his YouTube channel.

In March 2014, living in Odesa, Phillips drove to Crimea, as pro-Russia activists were taking control of the peninsula. Phillips wrote an article for Politico magazine, writing that most of the people he had spoken to in Crimea supported Russia. Phillips then went to work part-time for RT as a reporter in Donbas in April 2014, covering the Russo-Ukrainian War, after multiple RT crews were denied entry into Ukraine. Phillips said at this time, that although he was working as a freelancer / stringer for RT, his priority was developing his own YouTube channel.

Phillips came to wide attention for his work from the city of Sloviansk. Much of the attention on Phillips was generated by his prolific use of his YouTube channel, with him often uploading 20-30 videos per day, something he combined with his work for RT. In the course of doing video reports from the besieged city, Phillips was initially taken captive by both sides. In May 2014, Phillips was captured by the Armed Forces of Ukraine while reporting from Mariupol. After a day in detention, he was released on the condition that he would immediately leave Ukraine. RT expressed outrage over Phillips' treatment.

After covering the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil as a journalist and football fan, Phillips returned to report from Donbas in the summer of 2014, an apparent violation of the terms of his May release. Phillips was swiftly captured by the Armed Forces of Ukraine again at Donetsk International Airport, before being held for three days, and then deported into Poland, banned from Ukraine for three years. Phillips stated that he was maltreated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine during his detention at the airport, while Ukraine accused Phillips of "supporting terrorism" as a "Kremlin propagandist".

Despite his ban, Phillips returned again to Ukraine in August 2014. In November 2014, Phillips was wounded by a Ukrainian shrapnel in the back while reporting from the frontlines of the war in Donbas. At this time, Phillips was working for Russian state channel Zvezda, as a freelancer, having parted company with RT following his second deportation from Ukraine, along with uploading videos to his YouTube channel.

In September 2014 Phillips filmed an interview with Ivan Issyk, a member of the Ukrainian Aidar Battalion, Issyk had been captured and reportedly set on fire by the Russian neo-Nazi Rusich Group, with over 70% of his body covered in burns. Phillips then interviewed Issyk as he lay in hospital. In 2019, Issyk's parents were reported as seeking 'international condemnation of Phillips’ (for) breaking journalistic ethics'. Several days after the interview, Issyk was reportedly abducted from the hospital and killed.

In late 2014, Russian channel NTV released a film 'Военкор' (War Correspondent), inspired by Phillips' early experiences reporting in Ukraine. In March 2015, after having covered the Battle of Debaltseve, Phillips returned home to the UK, where he was detained at Heathrow airport and questioned by MI5 about his work from Donbas. No charges were presented against Phillips, who was released after several hours of questioning.

Back in the UK in Spring of 2015, Phillips set about organising a fundraising event to raise humanitarian aid for Donbass. He also at this time declared that his future would be as a 'completely crowdfunded, independent journalist', and he would do reportage only for his YouTube channel going forward. Phillips' Donbass fundraiser resulted in a controversial incident, where a crowd member abused Phillips, who in turn pushed the man out of the venue. Also in April 2015, Phillips attempted to storm into the Museum of Stepan Bandera in London, shouting that it was a 'Nazi collaborator museum'. He was escorted from the premises by the police.

In early 2015, Phillips was added to the Ukrainian Myrotvorets site, which lists so-called 'enemies of Ukraine', and encourages action against them. In September 2015, Inverse (website) published an article based on Phillips' work, namely his drone footage from the destroyed city of Pervomaisk in Donbas. Phillips stated that drone footage allowed people to witness war at a 'visceral' level, and that 'the destruction of Pervomaisk was a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces'.

In a controversial incident from a 17 September 2016 video published by Phillips, he is seen shortly before a prisoner exchange having a verbal altercation with a disabled Ukrainian prisoner of war who had lost both of his arms and sight in a mine blast. The video caused outrage in Ukraine. The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group called for journalist NGOs to condemn Phillips' actions. Judith Gough, British Ambassador to Ukraine, said that she was appalled by the incident. The Ukrainian POW interviewed by Phillips, Vladimir Zhemchugov, for his part, criticised Phillips for 'doing three interviews' with him, and not publishing the one where he (Zhemchugov) 'got the better of Phillips' in their verbal spar.

After the Zhemchugov interview, Ukrainians organised a petition to then UK Prime Minister Theresa May to strip Phillips of his British passport, and ban him from leaving the UK; however, the UK replied that they had 'no grounds' to do this.

In December 2015, Phillips was awarded the medal 'For Merit', 2nd grade, on behalf of the Luhansk People's Republic, from then LPR head Igor Plotnitsky.

Across Europe and Russia (2016–2021)

From 2016 on, Phillips would continue reporting from Donbas, but also began to travel more widely. On 16 March 2016, he was detained in Riga, Latvia for disrupting the Remembrance Day of the Latvian Legionnaires events, shouting that they were 'glorifying fascists', and resisting police orders, after which he was deported to Russia and blacklisted for three years. Latvia’s Interior Minister, Rihards Kozlovskis blasted Phillips for his “provocation” in the Latvian capital.

In March 2016, Phillips released a film called 'Aramis', about the life of a Donbas militant he had known, who was killed in action. The premiere was held in Saint Petersburg. Phillips then made a film about celebrations of Victory Day in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Brexit Project

In June 2016, Phillips set off around Europe, doing what he described as a 'Brexit reportage project'. He began in France, asking young men in the Calais Jungle, why they were planning to come to the UK. Phillips' confrontational tone, and questioning, resulted in an incident in the 'Jungle'.

Phillips then went to the Germany vs Ukraine football match at Euro 2016 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille, asking Ukrainian football supporters what they thought of the war in Donbas. Phillips' provocative questioning resulted in multiple confrontational incidents, and Phillips' car was broken into, with personal items stolen. Despite being banned from Latvia in March, Phillips then returned there in June, as part of his 'Brexit project'. Upon his return to Latvia, while banned, he referred to the Latvian government as 'morons'.

Phillips then returned to the United Kingdom, where he did interviews with people around the country about Brexit, and general videos on the theme.

2016-17 Europe, Donbas, UK

On 2 August 2016, together with German journalist and activist Billy Six, he entered the Berlin office of the investigative journalism organisation Correctiv without permission and demanded an interview with Marcus Bensmann, who was investigating Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. Phillips, who had been conducting his own investigation into MH17, repeatedly accused Bensmann of lying, shouting "Lying press!", while filming the incident, and refusing to leave. Correctiv called the police, however Phillips and Six evaded them.

In September of 2016, Ukraine accused Phillips of provocation for his reportage from the Crimean border, where he crossed the line from Russian-controlled Crimea into Ukraine-controlled territory, telling the Ukrainian border guards that 'Crimea is Russia'.

Late 2016 saw Phillips back in Donbas, doing 360-degree video reports of places he described as 'destroyed by Ukrainian shelling'.

In January 2017, Phillips was thrown out of the UK Parliament at a 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK and Ukraine, for disruption. He had loudly asked why the United Kingdom was 'supporting Ukrainian shelling of civilian areas of Donbass'.
Later in 2017, Phillips was accused by a Ukrainian prosecutor's office of taking an active role in the information and propaganda activities of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic. Phillips was alleged to have collaborated, and been friends, with separatist leaders Mikhail Tolstykh and Arsen Pavlov. Phillips was known to be friends with Dr. Elizaveta Glinka, and released a film about her in 2017, following her death in December 2016.

From mid-2017, Phillips was back reporting from Donbas. Phillips released a film he made in tribute to a young Lugansk journalist he had known, Irina Gurtyak, who was tragically killed in a car crash. In late 2017, early 2018, Phillips went to breakaway Georgia South Ossetia to make a film.

2018 Films, World Cup, Bandera

At the start of January 2018, Phillips released a film about the legendary children's camp Artek in Crimea. Later in January 2018, Phillips released a film, ''A Brit in Crimea'', in which he took Scottish businessman Les Scott on holiday to the Russian-annexed Crimea. The premiere of the film was held in Moscow, it was then released on Phillips' YouTube channel. Also in January 2018, Phillips was involved in an altercation with a supporter of Aleksei Navalny at a pro-Navalny event in Moscow, with the protester breaking Phillips' camera. Phillips agreed to drop the charges after the protester apologised and made a donation to Phillips' humanitarian aid work in Donbas.

Phillips was denied accreditation to film the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia by FIFA, and so covered the footballing event 'as a football fan'. Back in London, in August 2018, Phillips gatecrashed an exhibition at the Embassy of Georgia in London by Gia Bugadze dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Russo-Georgian War, and was arrested by police for disrupting the event, shouting that the exhibition was "propaganda" and that its attendants were "NATO zombies". His actions were condemned by the Embassy of Ukraine in London who called on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to investigate Phillips' "terrorist activity". In early October 2018, Phillips disrupted a press conference with Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins, accusing him of being a 'NATO agent', and insulting him.

Also in October 2018, Phillips released a documentary on his YouTube channel, accusing the Ukrainian nationalist politician Stepan Bandera of being a Nazi. He then travelled to his grave, in Munich, and tore down Ukrainian flags which had recently been placed there and placed a placard on the grave reading "Ukrainian Nazi Stepan Bandera is buried here". In response to Phillips' actions, Ukrainian nationalist MP Ihor Mosiychuk stated “This monster (Phillips) should live in constant fear, because if European law enforcement officers do not come after him, then Ukrainian nationalists will come after him.” The incident was investigated by the Munich Police Department; however, no charges were presented against Phillips.

Further, in October 2018, in Vienna, Phillips was accused by the then Ukrainian ambassador to Austria Olexander Scherba of coming to his premises, calling him a 'fascist', and attempting to provoke him into a fight.

2019 Kosovo, Serbia, Gibraltar

In 2019, Phillips went to Kosovo, and recorded videos in which he called the country a terrorist state, the Kosovo Liberation Army a "terrorist organization", and Ramush Haradinaj, Hashim Thaçi and other Kosovar leaders "war criminals and terrorists", sparking outrage in Kosovo. Phillips received death threats for his comments and was banned from Kosovo for life. Phillips then did video reports from Serbia, which were deeply critical of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Phillips' reportage included an interview with the father of Milica Rakić. Also in 2019, Phillips was doing videos from the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.

2020-21 Russia, MS Estonia, Longbridge, Donbas, Siberia

2020 began with Phillips in Russia's far-eastern city of Vladivostok, doing video reports, a documentary, and praising the city.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw Phillips back in the UK, describing himself as 'sceptical' about the pandemic, and strongly opposed to compulsory lockdowns and vaccinations. During the pandemic, from the UK, Phillips covered Black Lives Matter events in London, describing himself as an opponent to the movement. He also released videos and documentaries on the Longbridge plant.

In early 2021, Phillips released a new documentary about the , based around his interview with survivor Paul Barney. Phillips then released a documentary about the Jasenovac concentration camp in Croatia. Phillips stated that he had been unable to access Donbas in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, however he returned to do a documentary from Donetsk in summer of 2021. Later in 2021, Phillips travelled around Siberia doing videos, and documentaries.

Return to Ukraine (2022–)

Phillips was in the UK, at his home in London, at the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Upon Russia's recognition of the DPR and LPR on February 21st, Phillips recorded a video of himself in front of the Houses of Parliament where he stated several times his 'love for the Donbas republics and their people', and 'happiness' that they had been recognised by Russia.

Phillips then headed for Belarus, apparently for the first time, doing some videos from there, before crossing over into Ukraine, Chernihiv oblast, despite his lifetime ban, in March 2022. In an interview at this time, Phillips called support for Ukraine "virtue signalling" for a "fashionable cause" and likened it to the support for Black Lives Matter. Phillips remained reporting from the Chernihiv area of Ukraine in March, releasing several videos. At this time, Phillips was attracting negative attention from UK media for his work, and position.

Phillips then left the Chernihiv area in early April, initially going to the city of Tyumen in Siberia, apparently to collect his car, and then driving the several thousand kilometres to Donbas, collecting humanitarian aid for Mariupol en route.

Aiden Aslin interview

By April, Phillips was back reporting in Donbas, either from Mariupol, or on the theme of Mariupol. On 18 April 2022, Phillips, in Donetsk, interviewed Aiden Aslin, a British citizen who had been captured by the Russian Armed Forces whilst serving in the Ukrainian military and fighting in Mariupol. Phillips uploaded video of the interview to his YouTube channel, in which Aslin could be seen in handcuffs. Australian-British barrister Geoffrey Robertson said the interview could be a violation of international law, saying "coercive interrogation of prisoners of war for propaganda purposes is contrary to the Geneva Conventions", and said that Phillips may face a war crime prosecution as a result of the interview. Former British Cabinet minister Damian Green described him as the modern-day equivalent of World War II Nazi propagandist Lord Haw-Haw.

On 20 April, Phillips was criticized by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and by Member of Parliament Robert Jenrick in the House of Commons. Johnson accused Phillips of producing propaganda messages and Jenrick said "the interviewer Graham Phillips is in danger of prosecution for war crimes". On 23 April, YouTube announced that it had removed Phillips' interview of Aslin citing privacy violations, and demonetised his channel.

For his part, Phillips has stated that he has "nothing to hide", adding that Aslin had "requested the interview". "Let anyone serious present any real charges against me, and I'll fully answer all of them – I'm an independent journalist of complete integrity, and absolutely sound of conscience and ethics", he said. After liberation as result of prisoner exchange, Aslin has spoken extensively about his interview with Phillips, in several interviews. In an April 2023 interview, he described the behaviour of Phillips as "normal when off camera" but going "psychotic" when cameras were turned on. In a May 2023 interview, Aslin denied he "requested" the interview with Phillips, and described both Phillips' questions and his answers as "scripted and rehearsed". In interview in September 2022, Phillips described the interview as a "quality piece of journalistic work", and re-iterated that Aslin himself had "requested the interview". As of June 2023, Phillips has not faced any charges in relation to the interview.

Phillips extensively covered the Battle for Azovstal from Mariupol, reporting from Mariupol, for his YouTube channel, also his channels on video hosting platforms Rumble and Odysee, up to, and after its capture by Russian forces in mid-May, in addition to general reporting from Mariupol, for his YouTube channel, also his channels on Rumble and Odysee. Phillips also engaged in searching for people who had gone missing during war in Mariupol, locating and then evacuating relatives, including the brother of Brother 2 actress Darya Jurgens.

On from Mariupol

Phillips moved from Mariupol onto covering Donetsk. In June, while reporting from Donetsk under shelling, Phillips saved two women from under shelling.

In July 2022, Phillips moved onto the self-declared Lugansk People's Republic, and was reporting from Sieverodonetsk and Lysychansk. In late July 2022, the government of the United Kingdom placed sanctions on Phillips and froze his assets.

In March 2023, ''The Sun'' printed a correction to an earlier article they had run on Phillips referring to him as 'war criminal' who had 'taunted British POWs' and was 'under police investigation'. ''The Sun'''s correction came after an investigation by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. ''The Sun'' retracted several of their claims including Phillips' interview with prisoner two.

Sanctions

In July 2022, Phillips became the only British-born citizen to date to be sanctioned by his own country. Phillips responded: "I didn't have any opportunity to defend myself, no-one notified me, there are no real charges against me.” Phillips immediately launched an appeal against his sanctions, calling them “ridiculous, illegal and dangerous”.

Phillips has attracted support in his fight against UK Government sanctions from Peter Hitchens, and Toby Young, although they have both expressed criticism of Phillips.

As of 2023, Phillips remains under sanctions. He continues to report from Donbas.

General

Phillips has often reported from Crimea since the Russian annexation in 2014. He has reported extensively from the Crimean Bridge. Phillips has also done several videos from Crimean safari park Taigan, including direct contact with lions, something which was later banned.

Phillips has received frequent criticism for his interviews with Ukrainian POWs.

Over the years, Phillips has done a series of videos addressing what he has referred to as 'BBC propaganda'.

In 2021, Phillips went on a hiking expedition to the location of the 1959 Dyatlov Pass incident, in the Ural Mountains of Russia. He spoke positively of the experience, and scenery, but stated he would not do reportage on the subject as his priority was his work from Donbas.

In addition to his journalistic activities, Phillips has also carried out extensive humanitarian aid work in Donbas, including regular deliveries of humanitarian aid to the children's home in Lutuhyne.

Awards

Phillips is known to have been awarded six medals for his work:

* March 2015 — Russia - Medal "Border Brotherhood", Chekhov near Moscow, on behalf of the Border Service.
* December 2015 - Medal "For Merit", 2nd Grade, Luhansk, awarded by then head of the Lugansk People’s Public, Igor Plotnitsky.
* February 2016 - Medal in the name of Dmitry Karbyshev.
* March, 2016 - Medal "From the grateful Luhansk people", Luhansk, from community organisation 'Officers of Russia'.
* September 2016 - Medal by order of the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the LPR, No. 273, "For Assisting the Internal Affairs", Luhansk.
* November 2020 - Medal «Военкор» 'War Correspondent', Moscow. Others to receive this award included Alexander Sladkov, and Alexander Kots.

See also

* Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks
* Eva Bartlett, Canadian pro-Russian activist
* Alexander Kots, Russian journalist
* Patrick Lancaster, American YouTuber
* MH17, passenger plane shot down by Russian armed forces
* Scott Ritter, pro-Russian American pundit
* Anatoly Shariy , Ukrainian journalist
* Alexander Sladkov , Russian journalist
* Russian information war against Ukraine

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Graham
1979 births
Living people
21st-century British journalists
21st-century English non-fiction writers
Alumni of the University of Dundee
English documentary filmmakers
English expatriates in Russia
English expatriates in Ukraine
English male journalists
English war correspondents
English YouTubers
People deported from Latvia
People deported from Ukraine
Pro-Russian people of the war in Donbas
RT (TV network) people
War correspondents of the Russo-Ukrainian War
Writers from Nottingham
YouTube vloggers
English video bloggers
English conspiracy theorists