Caolan Robertson
Irish journalist and influencer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caolan Robertson (/keɪlən/, born ~1996) is an Irish-born journalist and influencer. He is a co-founder of Future Freedom[2] and was a director at BylineTV as of 2021.[3] He has been reporting from Ukraine since 2022,[4] and as of mid-November 2025 describes himself as a full-time journalist based in Ukraine with dozens of videos on YouTube.[5] He has reportedly won 12 awards for his documentaries.[4]
Order of Merit, 3rd class (2026) [1]
Caolan Robertson | |
|---|---|
Robertson in 2025 | |
| Born | 1996 (age 29–30) Kilkenny, Ireland |
| Occupations | Journalist, documentary maker, activist |
| Awards | Order of Merit, 3rd class (2026) [1] |
On June 6, 2026, Robertson was awarded Ukraine's Order of Merit, 3rd Class from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. [6][1]
Early life
Work in politics
According to Robertson, he was involved with far-right politics for "around three years", having been drawn into it by the anti-gay sentiment he encountered among conservative Muslims in London and the targeting of the gay community in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. 49 people were killed in the attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a shooter who had sworn allegiance to the "caliph" of the Islamic State. Searching the internet for information about the shooting, Robertson found results from far-right news sources and activists. "As soon as you watch a few of them, you get recommended many, many more and I really started going down an online-specific rabbit hole."[3]
He graduated from being an online supporter to making videos for right-wing activists like Tommy Robinson, Lauren Southern and Alex Jones,[3] and being a correspondent for the far-right Rebel Media.[8] He explains his popularity with the movement in part by his having a clean record. "Normally people that make content like this have a dark history or have been involved in violence, whereas I had none of that".[8]
By early 2019, Robertson said he had grown disillusioned with working with the far-right,[9] and in an interview, portrayed himself as having abandoned the ideology.[10] The Christchurch mosque shootings by a white supremacist in March was "the final straw".[8]
He says he spent 2019 to 2020 mentally recovering from leaving what he described as "a cult", and as of 2021 claimed he was "exposing the far-right, exposing disinformation",[3] including how misleading extremist videos can attract millions of views.[7]
Documentary topics
Ukraine
During an interview with The Bulwark, Robertson said that when the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine began, he visited the country and made a documentary about the war. He was so affected by the experience that upon returning to the United Kingdom, he found he "couldn't go back to doing what he had been doing". He moved to Ukraine in mid-2024, where he lives and works full-time.[11] Robertson received an Honorary Ambassador Award for Digital Diplomacy in 2025 by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska.[12]
As a result of his work in Ukraine and his entry into Ukrainian-occupied Russian territory (Sudzha), the Russian government has sanctioned him and issued an international warrant for his arrest.[11]
Syria
In January 2025 Robertson travelled with Audrey MacAlpine[13] to Syria after the fall of president Bashar al-Assad to document the use of chemical weapons[14]
Davos 2026
In January 2026, Robertson travelled to Davos for the 56th World Economic Forum, where he presented a screening of "Farmers of Kherson" to Ukraine House Davos.[15]
Hungary 2026
In April 2026, Robertson travelled to Hungary to report on the 2026 parliamentary elections, covering topics that included the election campaign atmosphere, Hungary–Russia relations, corruption allegations, and assumptions of misuse of European Union funds.[16][17]
Venice Biennale 2026
In May 2026, Robertson confronted Russian ambassador Alexey Paramonov, at the Russian pavilion, highlighting the disparity between Russia's "cultural" display and its ongoing attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.[18]
Ireland
In June 2026, Robertson questioned Irish politicians over their position on the Aughinish Alumina plant in County Limerick,[19] following an OCCRP investigation finding it supplies alumina to sanctioned entities in Russia.[20][21][22]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Farmlands | Producer |
| 2019 | You can't watch this | Producer |
| 2019 | Borderless | Co-producer |
| 2020 | Russian Social Media Explained | Producer |
| 2023 | Under Deadly Skies: Ukraine's Eastern Front[23] | Producer |
| 2024 | Hunted in Kherson[24] | Director |
| 2025 | Shocking Discovery In Syria (with Audrey MacAlpine)[25] | Producer |
| 2024 | The Battle for Kyiv[26] | Producer |
| 2025 | Farmers of Kherson[27] | Producer |
| 2025 | The Battle of Donbas | Producer |
| 2025 | Europe's Digging a New Frontline | Producer |
| 2026 | The Shadow Fleet | Producer |
Notable interviews
In June 2025, he had an interview with Fidias Panayiotou.[28]
In March 2026, he interviewed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[29]