Simple Explanation Far Too Popular in Ukraine and Russia

My blog has always been relatively popular in Russia. Years ago I conjured up images of Russians bundled up against the Winter's cold, hunkered down around their laptops in Siberia, with nothing better to do than become enlightened. Ah, what an idealist I am.   

Now that the world is no longer so naively trustworthy (or is it merely I who am less naively trusting?), I submit for your consideration this screenshot of the week's Simple Explanation audience stats. You will note the unholy number of Ukrainian and Russian readers, as well as a thoroughly puzzling entry called "Unknown Region," which I can't imagine is legit.

These are the Posts that were viewed. I suspect the Ukrainian or Russian views are of the Inner Life of a Cell video repost. I seem to recall calling into question that particular post's popularity in Comments a couple of years ago.

What do you-all think? Election hacking? Spies? If so, whose? AI cyber-bots? Again, whose? I admit these numbers are low, possibly too low to be of use to malicious hackers. Or maybe not. Maybe these are just doorways to somewhere else where the real hits pile up. 

I've reported this phenomenon to Google any number of times this year. Doubtless they're quite torn up over it.

Likely I shall simply relax and continue to imagine enlightened Siberians in their fireplace-warmed rooms, clacking away on laptops. I mean, what else can I do?

Torus Slinky
cyd ropp, ph.d.