A war does not only take its toll on those living on the front lines — everyone suffers from it. In Transcarpathia, it is not uncommon for people to spend more time without electricity — 16 to 18 hours — than with it. In such times, there is no heating, no lighting; people try to cope with generators to maintain what is natural for us: a normal life. I spoke for a few minutes with István Dobsa during a power outage. If anyone still doubts that the only path forward is the path of peace, they should watch this video.
And now we will call István Dobsa, who is the president of the Youth Council of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association, and ask how they are doing in Berehove.
Hello! Hi! Hello, hello! Good evening, Madam MP! How are you now? According to the news, the situation is even worse than it was back in December. In the larger cities, the situation is extremely difficult. There are even power outages lasting several days. We are also living with 16–18-hour power cuts. I was just speaking earlier with a dear acquaintance who called to say that things are now getting bad even for them, because their house is getting colder and colder. They are living together with a newborn baby, and this really puts people to the test.
What is the general mood like? How are you holding up? What are your everyday lives like? Lately, all kinds of terrible news have been circulating — even today I came across reports saying that if someone tries to help others in any way, they face immediate reprisals. With all these reports, I imagine daily life is far from rosy.
It is becoming increasingly difficult, because these symbolic internal batteries are running low. It would be very good to finally hear about — and experience — results that could lead us back, even slightly, toward normality. We pray, we hope, and we truly expect that peace efforts can succeed, and that the long-awaited and hoped-for peace may finally come for everyone.
I sincerely wish that we can talk about this as soon as possible. And I can promise you that from the mother country, we are here with you and behind you; we try to help in every way we can. But I believe the greatest help for you as well would be for this war to finally, truly, end as quickly as possible.
🔴 1️⃣ Real suffering → forcing a political conclusion
Technique: emotional hijacking + moral shortcut
Power outages in Transcarpathia, lack of heating, and the mention of a newborn are real human tragedies.
By themselves, these are not propaganda.
👉 Manipulation begins at the point where a single “correct” political conclusion is drawn from them:
“If anyone still doubts that the only path is the path of peace, they should watch this video!”
📌 This is not an argument, but emotional blackmail:
- if you empathize → you must agree
- if you question → you are insensitive
🔴 2️⃣ “The only path” – shutting down thinking
Technique: false dilemma + cognitive closure
“the only path is the path of peace”
This is a rhetorical trap:
- “peace” is never defined
- no alternatives are allowed
- there is no debate, only moral judgment
📌 Message to the audience:
“If you don’t think this way, you support suffering.”
🔴 3️⃣ Phone-in witness → emotional validation
Technique: testimonial framing + proximity illusion
Calling Dobsa István is not evidence, but emotional validation.
Important points:
- not expert analysis
- not verifiable data
- no comparison
📌 The phone call feels “spontaneous,” but it serves a narrative function:
“He is there → therefore what he says is the full reality.”
🔴 4️⃣ Fear packaged and amplified
Technique: fear stacking + anecdotal amplification
Elements listed:
- 16–18-hour power outages
- unheated homes
- a newborn baby
- “retaliations,” “horrific news”
- “it’s getting harder and harder”
❌ Missing:
- dates
- sources
- verifiable reports
- comparison with other regions
📌 The goal is not to inform, but to emotionally overwhelm.
🔴 5️⃣ Religious language → political legitimization
Technique: moral sanctification
“we pray, we ask, we hope”
This gives a sacred frame to a political position.
Anyone who questions it does not appear to “think differently,” but to be morally flawed.
🔴 6️⃣ “We stand with you” – the motherland frame
Technique: in-group reassurance
This is not practical assistance, but emotional positioning:
- we = the good ones
- we = the caring ones
- we = moral superiority
📌 Actual political decisions are never discussed.
🎯 SUMMARY – WHAT IS THE CORE OF THE MANIPULATION?
This message does not lie openly.
It is far more sophisticated than that.
👉 It uses real human suffering to:
- shut down critical thinking
- apply moral pressure
- designate a single “acceptable” position
This is not information.
This is emotional coercion.