With every year the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens have been suffocated. In an increasingly totalitarian Russia, people have become nothing but an instrument in the hands of the master – “the Tsar”, echoing Orwell’s novel. Following the announcement of the so-called “partial mobilization”, the trend of squashing people’s privacy has moved towards a new low by depriving human rights and most importantly - the freedom of speech. The information space, civil society and freedom of expression are all degraded and outlawed. While borders remain open from Russian side, it is unclear – for how long. However, while tyrants can influence what people say, they cannot police their thoughts. The stakes are high. What can be done to support Russian cognitive independence?