I'm A Russian Occupant: 'Ukrainian' parody of video celebrating Kremlin imperialism goes viral

A slickly produced video extolling the virtues of Russian imperialism has attracting millions of viewers online in recent weeks, making headlines worldwide and even being retweeted by Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

However a new parody of the video paints a far bleaker picture of life under Russian occupation.

The original, entitled I'm A Russian Occupant, depicts Moscow's rule in Ukraine, the Baltic states and central Asia as a period of blossoming technological and industrial development.

However, the parody version portrays Russia as an oppressive power, and alleges the countries fell into stagnation and poverty while under Soviet rule.

In the original, the 'Russian occupant' narrator spells out the historic achievements of imperial Russia, with sophisticated graphics moving from the battlefields of medieval Ros to the space ports of Soviet central Asia.

"Together with the Ukrainians I built aircraft engines, ships, tanks and cars. I was asked to leave. Now they are destroying all that is left of the occupant. Moreover, they don't build anything new, except for endless 'Maidans' and dictatorships," it intones.

In an 'email' to US President Barack Obama at the end, the narrator warns: "I build peace, I love peace, but I know how to fight better than anyone in the world."

Though not as glossily produced as the original, the parody version has already gained more than 30,000 views online after being uploaded onto YouTube days ago.

In contrast to the original's images of prosperity and progress, it shows pictures of war, famine and destruction suffered under Kremlin rule.

"I invaded blossoming Afghanistan ... and left behind the most dangerous hot zone on the planet where weapons, violence and drugs reign," the narrator says.

Over pictures of emaciated children and corpses lying on the streets during the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33, the voiceover proclaims "it was me who arranged the Great Famine, the Holodomor, in Ukraine, where millions of people died of hunger."

Anti-Soviet protests in Budapest in 1956, Prague in 1968, Tbilisi in 1989, and Vilnius in 1991 were left "drowning in blood", the film claims, at the hands of Russia's Red Army occupiers.

"I still haven't learnt how to build roads, make household appliances and proper clothes," the video claims, adding, "The only things I know how to create are pain and hatred."

"Today I'm coming to you," it warns, "Because I'm an occupier."

It is unclear who produced the new video, but it has been uploaded by several YouTube accounts, and is described as a "Ukrainian response".

The original, made by Siberian video blogger Evgeny Zhurov, attracted widespread support from Russian nationalists online, but also condemnation from President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik, and Deputy Secretary General of Nato Thomas Vershbow, who described it as "Imperialism for dummies" in a tweet.